Bizarre Sedge Fox

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

The fox sedge is characterized by a very variable shape and noticeably different sizes of inflorescences - often their maximum sizes are more than three times higher than the minimum ones. It grows best in conditions of swamp-meadow and damp-meadow moisture. It can often be found on swamps and river banks, where it forms luxurious thickets. In damp forests and ditches, the fox sedge also feels very good. This plant is widespread in the European part of Russia, in Kazakhstan and Siberia, as well as in the Caucasus and Northern Europe

Getting to know the plant

Fox sedge is a rather interesting herbaceous perennial that forms turf. The rhizomes of this plant reach three centimeters in diameter and are formed by slightly shortened internodes in the amount of four to five pieces. And the length of the brown branched roots can reach 75 centimeters. The stalks of this beautiful representative of the plant world are thickened, rough and narrow-winged, and their height ranges from half a meter to a meter.

The leaves of fox sedge are shorter than the stalks and reach a width of about 5-10 mm. And the membranous sides of the leaf sheaths are most often purple-punctate or transversely wrinkled.

The dense brownish inflorescences of luxurious fox sedge are spike-shaped. Sometimes they are lobed at the bottom. These bizarre paniculate inflorescences reach a length of three to eight centimeters and consist of 8 - 15 ovoid multi-flowered spikelets. The rusty covering scales of this plant are equipped with a greenish keel, endowed with a slightly rough, brownish and rather long awn. Most often, these scales are slightly shorter than the sacs, although they may be equal to them in size. A narrow ovate flat-convex sacs of a brownish-brownish shade are equipped with truncated serrated noses and rather ribbed veins. The length of such sacs ranges from 4.5 to 6 mm.

You can admire the flowering of fox sedge in early June, and this plant bears fruit closer to mid-July. Its elliptical fruits completely fill the sacs, since their size is much smaller than the size of the sacs.

This plant is readily eaten by animals as part of hay, only such hay should be mowed before flowering. But in fresh form, it is practically not used for food, and if it is used, then only when it is quite young.

In fox sedge, the content of extractive nitrogen-free substances, fiber, fat, protein and protein was noted.

How to grow

Soils for growing fox sedge must be provided with excellent aeration. Rich soils with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction are ideal. The fox is usually planted in the sedge soil in special containers. In addition to the fact that this plant is quite hygrophilous, this beauty is also distinguished by its love of light. However, it grows quite well in partial shade. A plant growing in the bright sun needs to be watered once a week.

The fox sedge reproduces mainly by seeds that can accumulate in the surface soil layers and remain viable for several years. Seeds are usually sown in the spring. In principle, this moisture-loving beauty easily multiplies by division, which is allowed to be carried out throughout the season.

The fox sedge does not require any special care and is very frost-hardy - this plant can withstand frosts down to minus 23 degrees. There is no need to shelter him for the winter either. And with the onset of spring, the old leaves of the fox sedge must be cut off.

Best of all, this beauty is suitable for decorating medium-sized ponds, made in a natural style. Its massive branchy inflorescences and rather large bodies of water will decorate it quite well. And the peak of decorativeness of this extraordinary plant is noted throughout the season.