Gold runs through the centre
The pale stripe occupies the middle of each blade and is framed by green on both edges.
Carex 'evergold' 10.5cm
Normal price
€5,00
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The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Carex ‘evergold’
Light, movement and clean texture in one tuft 🌾
- Gold centre, green margins
- Low arching ribbons
- Bright shade to partial shade
- Mature 30 × 30–45cm
Carex ‘evergold’ turns a shaded corner into a luminous composition without asking flowers to do the work. Every narrow blade has a golden-yellow centre and clean green margins, while the whole tuft opens into soft arches that move beautifully in the breeze. It is exactly the plant that fills a difficult foreground with polish, connects contrasting textures and keeps its colour for much of the year without becoming visually heavy.
At a shaded entrance it becomes a bright welcome; repeated along a path, it draws a flowing gold-and-green line that softens the edges. It looks wonderful beside dark broad-leaved plants, ferns and burgundy tones, because its fine ribbons add light without weighing down the composition. It is an easy way to give a difficult shaded spot colour, movement and a polished finish.
Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’ holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit, a distinction that recognises its reliable performance in the garden.
What makes it special
Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’ stands apart from green sedges and other gold-variegated selections through three stable traits.
A low moving fountain
Narrow leaves arise densely from a small rhizomatous base and arch outwards in every direction.
A long evergreen season
In a mild sheltered climate the tuft retains most foliage through winter and needs only selective spring cleaning.
Why you will love it: it brightens partial shade with a living fountain of gold-green ribbons that remains useful long after seasonal flowers disappear.
In the garden & on the balcony Placement & plant combinations Choose a cool, well-drained position in partial shade or bright shade, with enough room for the arching blades to spread.
A luminous edge in cool light
Place in bright shade or partial shade, along a path, beneath open shrubs or at the front of a woodland-style pot. Avoid fierce reflected afternoon sun and keep the root evenly cool without waterlogging.
Gold against black leaves and fern texture
Broad dark foliage and divided fronds give the striped ribbons a clear visual role.
- Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ — near-black broad leaves deepen the golden centre
- Hakonechloa macra — a larger flowing mass repeats the movement at another scale
- Dryopteris erythrosora — divided fronds and copper young growth add woodland texture
Care at a glance
Light
Partial shade or bright shade; gentle morning sun is useful, fierce midday sun can scorch.
Watering
Keep the root evenly cool, especially while establishing, while allowing surplus water to drain.
Climate & hardiness
Exceptionally cold hardy to RHS H7; in hot dry climates prioritise shade and soil moisture.
Safety
Ornamental use only; wear gloves when grooming the fine-edged blades.
Detailed care Complete care guide Light, cool soil, watering, container growing, feeding, grooming, division and heatwave protection
Light & orientation
Choose a north- or east-facing position, bright shade or partial shade. It takes more sun in a cool area, but strong afternoon sun in Greece reduces foliage quality.
Soil & drainage
Work mature organic matter into soil that stays evenly moist without becoming waterlogged. Very dry sand browns the tips, while persistent waterlogging deprives the roots of oxygen.
Watering during establishment
During the first growing period, water deeply as soon as the surface dries. Check with your finger beneath the foliage, as the dense clump can prevent light rain from reaching the roots.
Growing in a container
Choose a wide outdoor pot with clear drainage holes and a growing mix that combines organic matter with good aeration. In summer, move it away from hot, reflective surfaces.
Feeding
One light application of a balanced slow-release fertiliser in early spring is enough. Excess nitrogen produces soft, overlong blades and a less clearly defined clump.
Grooming
At the end of winter, comb through the clump with a gloved hand or cut individual fully dry leaves low at the base. Do not cut straight across the entire evergreen clump, as this leaves numerous brown, trimmed tips.
Division
When the centre becomes sparse after a few years, divide the clump in spring. Each section needs healthy roots and enough active blades to establish again quickly.
Heatwaves & winter
During a heatwave, maintain moisture deeper in the soil and provide shade. Cold is usually not a problem, although snow or freezing wind may damage older leaves, which can be removed in spring.
Development over time From a small rhizomatous base to a full arching fountain The clump thickens around its edges, the blades lengthen, and the gold-and-green outline develops its full curve.
Rooting the small tuft
The 25cm plant first establishes its short rhizomatous base.
Arching expansion
New blades lengthen and curve, widening the tuft beyond its central crown.
Mature fountain
The foliage settles around 30 × 30–45cm and may carry a few fine brown spikes.
Mature habit & dimensions
Mature clumpHeight about 30cmSpread 30–45cmCentral yellow stripe
Narrow blades arise densely from a small rhizomatous base and curve low in every direction, with green margins surrounding the gold centre.
Form through time
Two genuine seasonal statesWarm-season spikesEvergreen winter base
Warm seasonThe full gold-green tuft lifts a few triangular stems with slender brown spikes.
Mild winterArching striped ribbons remain bright without the seasonal flower stems.
The basic fountain shape persists; length, density, stripe intensity and spikes change naturally with age, light and season.
What to expect after planting: The roots will stabilise first, followed by new fans around the base. In a cool position with gentle light, the clump will fill out into a natural fountain of about 30 × 30–45cm; blade length and the presence of flower spikes depend on season and age.
History & origin Cultivar origin A Japanese species, a British record and a name that travelled internationally
The story begins with the Japanese species Carex oshimensis, described by Takenoshin Nakai in 1914 and associated with the Izu Islands. A 1977 catalogue from Duncan & Davies in New Zealand recorded that the gold-variegated selection had been known there as Carex ‘Everbright’, but would change to ‘Evergold’ because that name had already been used by a British breeder. The breeder’s identity, place and selection date were not preserved.
Irish nurseryman Pat FitzGerald acquired the established ‘Evergold’ in 1989 and later used it as source material for the EverColor programme; he did not breed it. The plant became established as Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’ and received the RHS Award of Garden Merit in 1993. Older catalogues may place the same selection under C. hachijoensis or C. morrowii.
Greenleaf for Plant Nerds Science nobody asked for Botanical details for anyone who wants to know what lies behind the plant’s appearance
A triangular flowering stem
Many sedges have solid stems with three palpable edges.
A perigynium surrounds each female flower
In Carex, a tiny sac-like bract encloses the female flower and later the one-seeded fruit.
The stripe has a diagnostic position
In ‘Evergold’ the yellow-to-cream zone is central, with green along both edges.
Frequently asked questions
Six concise answers about light, colour, mature size, watering, flower spikes and maintaining the clump.
01Where does the gold stripe stay clearest?
In bright shade or partial shade with some gentle morning sun.
02How large does it become?
Usually around 30cm high and 30–45cm wide.
03Does it need constantly wet soil?
It prefers consistent cool moisture, not permanent mud.
04What are the fine brown spikes?
They are the natural flowering structures of the sedge, not dried leaves.
05Does it remain green in winter?
It retains most foliage in a mild sheltered site; frost and dry wind may mark older blades.
06When should it be divided?
Divide in spring when the centre thins or the tuft exceeds its space.
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Individual protection
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Sturdy packaging
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