Prairie Fire
Fiery orange filigree foliage in winter
Plant Profile: Carex testacea ‘Prairie Fire’
One of my favourite ornamental grasses, although strictly speaking it is a sedge, not a grass, it turns rich orange colours in winter and the greens up for the summer.
1. Common Name: Prairie Fire New Zealand Sedge
2. Scientific Name: Carex testacea ‘Prairie Fire’
3. Family: Cyperaceae
4. Plant Type: Ornamental Grass (Perennial)
5. Native Range: New Zealand
6. Zone Adaptability: Excellent adaptability and drought resistance, thrive between zones 6-9 (USDA) H5-H4 (RHS)
7. Ideal Conditions: Prefers full sun to light shade. Water needs are average but it can also tolerate drought. Well-drained, fertile soil is ideal.
8. Size: Typical mature height is 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) with a similar spread.
9. Growth Rate: Moderate to fast, under ideal conditions.
10. Bloom Time: Late spring to late summer.
11. Bloom Description: Inconspicuous blooms are greenish-brown and attract birds.
12. Leaf Description: Fine, arching bronze foliage that can turn flame orange in the fall and winter.
13. Uses in Landscaping: Attractive as a ground cover, in containers, around ponds, or in rock gardens. Also useful for erosion control.
14. Maintenance: Low to minimal. Remove dead foliage in early spring.
15. Pests/Diseases: Generally pest-free and disease-resistant under proper conditions. Overwatering can lead to root rot.
16. Other Features: Provides excellent winter interest due to its spectacular color transition.
17. Propagating: Divide in early spring or start from seed
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18. Availability: Available at most plant nurseries and online plant sales platforms.
Carex testacea ‘Prairie Fire’ is an outstanding plant, it ticks so many boxes for me: evergreen, great colour, seasonality, low maintenance, looks great all year round and adds texture to a planting scheme.
I have planted a number of them in The Pylon Garden, dotting them through the planting. It is a low growing plant that spreads over the soil with its deliciously wispy leaves, but I plant it right through the border rather than limiting it to the front.
It forms textural tussocks of bronze orange foliage, I have never done anything to them with regards to maintenance.
It goes greener in summer and with the onset of colder season and shortening days, the colour deepens to a fiery orange. It would also work well in pots.
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Ciaran The Gardener 