Northwest Blooms · Perennials
Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance'
Ice Dance Sedge
- Family
- Cyperaceae
- Height
- 12 to 16 inches
- Width
- 18 to 24 inches
- Flower color
- Inconspicuous beige-brown
- Foliage color
- Dark green with creamy-white margins
- Bloom time
- Late spring
- Light
- Partial shade to full shade
- Water
- Prefers moist, well-drained soil; drought-tolerant once established
- Maintenance
- Low; semi-evergreen foliage requires little to no upkeep
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 5 to 9
- Wildlife
- Deer resistant
About this plant
Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance' is a variegated sedge cultivar originating from Japan. It features arching, deep green leaves edged with creamy white margins, forming a dense, mounded habit. In mid-spring, it produces small, beige to brown, bottlebrush-like flowers, though they are not particularly showy.
A notable characteristic of 'Ice Dance' is its ability to spread slowly by rhizomes, making it an effective groundcover that doesn't become invasive. Additionally, it maintains its appearance in winter in mild growing zones and may remain semi-evergreen in colder areas. This cultivar was discovered by plantsman Barry Yinger during a plant-scouting expedition in Japan and introduced to the U.S. by Hines Horticulture in 1996.
Works well in
Borders · Shade Gardens · Woodland Gardens · Waterwise Gardens · Containers
Companion plants
Wild ginger · Hellebores · Japanese forest grass · Astilbes · Heucheras · Siberian bugloss
Design tip
The early flowers arrive when the garden is still waking up, so give it a spot you pass often in spring. Cooler light suits it, so tuck it on the north side of a shrub or wall where the soil stays even.
