Carex buchananii Red Rooster

Carex buchananii 'Red Rooster' is a variety of Buchanan's sedge with an interesting design. Its foliage takes on flamboyant colours in autumn. This medium-sized grass has an upright, light and graceful clump-like habit, composed of fine foliage in shades of bronze and red, with curled tips. The autumn flowering is discreet, with small, slender brown spikes. It thrives in the sun, in ordinary, well-drained garden soil that is not too dry in summer. This sedge is decorative in borders as well as in a pot on a patio or balcony.

Carex buchananii 'Red Rooster' belongs to the Cyperaceae family, like all Carex species. It is a horticultural variety derived from Buchanan's sedge, native to New Zealand. It is a hardy perennial plant that prefers neutral soils, (neither too acidic nor alkaline), that never completely dry out. However, it does not tolerate waterlogged soil. The cultivar 'Red Rooster' was selected for its foliage which has more reddish tones than the species. This plant forms a beautiful clump about 50 to 60cm (20 to 24in) tall, with an upright but flexible habit. Its young red-coloured leaves are 45cm (18in) long, narrow, cylindrical, and stand upright before slightly drooping as they age. Their colour becomes browner in summer, with very light curled tips. In autumn, the vegetation takes on remarkable copper and orange tones. This carex blooms in summer with insignificant 3cm (1in) brown flower spikes. The vegetation remains decorative in winter.

Carex buchananii 'Red Rooster' will have a great effect in a not too dry rock garden, along a path or border, with green Carex species or small perennials with contrasting colours (Sedum 'Purple Emperor', Heuchera 'Binoche' or H. 'Frilly', blue asters). Also consider combining it with perennials that have red or orange flowers (dwarf Tritomas, geums). It is also superb in a large pot!