All About Carex Evercolor® ‘Everillo’

Your Guide to Planning, Planting and Growing Carex EverColor® ‘Everillo’

Carex EverColor® ‘Everillo’, a cultivar of Carex oshimensis, plays a versatile and valuable role in gardens and landscapes due to its striking appearance, low maintenance needs, and adaptability. Its vivid lime to golden yellow foliage provides a bold pop of color in sunny or part-shade areas where other plants may look dull. This stunning deer and rabbit resistant variety is evergreen, providing you color and texture year-round.

Plan for Success

Shade to Part Shade

Carex ‘Everillo’ performs best in dappled sunlight, morning sun, or bright indirect light.  It tolerates full sun, but its color will be its most vibrant in partial shade, making it a great option for darker garden corners or shaded containers. More than 6 hours of direct sunlight can cause the foliage color to fade.

Hardiness Zone 5-9

Carex, or sedge grass, can survive winter temps in zone 5 but thrives in warmer climates over winter. In colder zones (zone 5) mulching will help protect the roots. In warmer zones (8-9), shade from the hot afternoon sun will preserve its vivid lime-gold foliage.

Bare Root vs Potted

Bare root perennials often provide better value, a wider selection, and potentially healthier plants than potted ones. They typically establish more quickly, grow faster, and are easier to plant.

When to Plant

Planting bare root ornamental grasses in the fall gives them time to develop a strong root system before winter, resulting in healthier growth and more vibrant displays in spring. The cooler temperatures and increased rainfall of fall create ideal conditions for root establishment.

Plant your bare root grass within a week of bringing it home. If you are unable to plant within a week and need to push out planting up to 2 weeks, keep the roots moist, but not saturated. You can wrap them in a paper towel or burlap and secure them with twine. Store in a cool, dark place (unheated shed or garage).

How to Plant

Before planting, hydrate the roots by submerging them in water for at least an hour to ensure they are hydrated.

1. Dig a hole that is twice as wide as the roots and the same depth in a well-drained, shade location
2. Place the roots in the hole with the top of the root crown slightly higher than the surrounding soil
3. Build a water-retaining berm around the hole to retain moisture
4. Backfill the hole halfway with soil and water thoroughly to eliminate any pockets of air around the roots.
5. Continue backfilling with soil until the soil is level.
   6. Water deeply.

Where to Plant

Carex is a versatile ornamental grass that can be used in many creative and fun ways. Use as a border in shady locations or woodland gardens. Plant around trees or under larger shrubs where sunlight is filtered. Plant along streams, ponds or other water features in your landscape. Sedge grass is stunning planted in mass as ground cover or edging for shaded front landscape paths or garden beds. In smaller areas, Carex makes a great container plant for shady porches and patios.

What to Expect

Spring Planted Sedge Grasses
When planting a bare root Carex (sedge) in the spring, you can expect a somewhat slow start, but with proper care, it will establish well and grow into a healthy, attractive plant. The foliage may appear brownish or faded due to its dormancy. This is normal! Focus on the roots and potential rather than the top of the plant.

The roots will be exposed and may look dry. Soaking them before planting is helpful. In the first 2 weeks after planting, you won’t be able to see it, but the roots will begin to wake up. Within 3-6 weeks, you may see new green shoots start to emerge, especially if the weather is warm. Growth is slow and modest at first, so be patient. By one full season, you will see a tidy clump of grass about 8” tall and 6” wide. Over the years, it will gradually get larger and reach its full potential by the 3rd growing season at 12-18” tall and 12-18”wide.

Fall Planted Sedge Grasses
When planted in the fall, these grasses benefit from cooler temperatures and moist soil, allowing their roots to establish before winter. While top growth may not be immediately vigorous, the root system will develop underground, setting the stage for strong, healthy growth in spring. After going dormant for the winter, growth begins in early spring and will be gradual as the temperatures rise but will become steady as the season progresses. 
 

How to Care for Carex EverColor® ‘Everillo’

Carex ‘Everillo’ is a brilliant go-to for injecting long-lasting color and texture into gardens, containers, and contemporary landscapes. It’s both an aesthetic and functional asset that brings year-round vibrancy with minimal fuss.

Caring is relatively easy. Keep the soil consistently moist when newly planted. Once established, water regularly but avoid soggy soil to prevent root rot. Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in the spring if growth seems sluggish or soil is poor. You can also add a light compost mulch to improve soil health. Dividing every 3 years is a great way to rejuvenate clumps and propagate new plants. It is not necessary to trim down ‘Everillo’ as it is an evergreen type; simply remove brown or damaged leaves to keep your plants fresh.