Carex buchananii

Common Name:
Leatherleaf Sedge

Description:
Carex buchananii, commonly known as Leatherleaf Sedge, is a striking, ornamental grass-like plant with fine, upright to arching copper-bronze foliage that brings rich colour and texture to garden designs. This evergreen sedge originates from New Zealand and is well-suited to Melbourne’s climate, thriving in a wide range of garden settings. Its narrow, wiry leaves often curl at the tips, giving it a windswept appearance that softens hard landscaping and contrasts beautifully with green, silver, or lime-toned companions. Though its flowers are small and not particularly showy, they appear in late spring to summer and add subtle vertical interest. Carex buchananii is ideal for mass planting, borders, pots, or as a feature in rockeries and modern landscape designs. It performs best in full sun to part shade, preferring well-drained soil, and is both drought- and frost-tolerant once established. Regular trimming helps maintain a fresh, tidy form.

Form:
*Shrub - Clumping / Grass-like / Mounding
Ground Cover

Mature Size:
*Height: 50 to 70 cm
Width: 40 to 60 cm

Aspect:
*Full Sun
Part Shade

Flowering:
*Flowers in Late Spring
Flowers in Summer

Flower Colour:
Brown (inconspicuous)

Key Attributes:
*Suitable for Pots
*Drought Tolerant
*Frost Tolerant
*Low Maintenance
*Evergreen
*Ornamental Foliage
*Suitable for Ground Cover
*Wind Tolerant
*Coastal Tolerant

Toxicity:
*Non-toxic to humans
Non-toxic to pets

Companion Plants:
*Lomandra ‘Lime Tuff’
*Festuca glauca
*Carex testacea
*Anigozanthos ‘Bush Pearl’
*Heuchera ‘Obsidian’
Phormium tenax dwarf cultivars