Carex tumulicola ~ Berkeley Sedge, Split Awn Sedge (syn Carex divulsa)

Carex tumulicola grows in beautiful arching clumps. The foliage stays dark green with less water and gardener's help than Creeping Red Fescue. This Carex doesn't run as much as Carex pansa or Carex praegracilis. The blades of this grasslike plant can get as much as 18 inches long. I found plants responded well to infrequent pruning to an inch or so tall. This removed the last season's dead leaves and the plants bounced back quickly. I have not yet tried mowing, though others report it tolerates this reasonably well. One of the best aspects of Carex tumulicola is that it tolerated deep shade quite nicely, and allows a grassy area under dry growing trees and shrubs. The plants are also quite tolerant of wet conditions as might be expected from a plant native to our ephemeral wetlands. Carex tumulicola is a potential larval food source for the California Common Ringlet butterfly.