Carex Buchananii (Fox Red Curly Sedge): Plant Care and Growing Guide
The Fox Red Curly Sedge, otherwise known as the Carex Buchananii or Leatherleaf Sedge, Carex ‘Buchanni’, Curly Top Sedge, is a rather well known ornamental grass plant among gardening enthusiasts around the world.
Best known for its low maintenance and slow growth, this ornamental grass will likely liven up your house (or garden) with its bronze-colored leaves. But, only if you learn how to take proper care of it for it to thrive.
Fortunately, this is precisely what we’ll cover in this Fox Red Curly Sedge Care Guide. So let’s dive in.
In order to take proper care of your Fox Red Curly Sedge you’ll need to keep in mind the following guidelines:
- Water: The Fox Red Curly Sedge grows best with regular watering to keep the soil moist during the dry season. Reduce watering once the plant is established.
- Light: Keep your Carex Buchananii in an environment where it can receive partial to full sun on a daily basis.
- Soil: Make sure to keep the Fox Red Curly Sedge in soil with moist but well draining properties, so ideally, one that is made of clay, loam, chalk, and sand.
And as with many other plants, these are the only three care factors you need to remember to make sure your Fox Red Curly Sedge is, for the most part, healthy and well to survive.
Scientific / Botanical Aspects
In botanical terms, the Fox Red Curly Sedge belongs to the Cyperaceae family, the genus Carex and the species Buchananii, hence its scientific (or botanical) name Carex Buchananii (KAH-reks bu-kan-AN-ee-eye).
As with other Carex’s, the Fox Red Curly Sedge is an evergreen plant, which means it will be present year round in your garden.
Read: Frosty Curls Sedge (Carex Albula): Plant Care and Growing Guide
Growing Region
The Fox Red Curly Sedge is a plant native to New Zealand.
Knowing your plant’s native region is very useful, as it can give you tips on which environment is best for your Fox Red Curly Sedge. If you keep it in mind, you can try to replicate these conditions at home, and you’ll likely end with a healthier plant.
With this in mind, the Carex Buchananii will be most used to the heat zones in the 5 – 9 region, as the plant hardiness level falls between 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a and the ideal climate zone is between 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.
Growth and Size
Growth
In terms of size and growth, the Fox Red Curly Sedge is a relatively slow grower, which makes things easy for any plant enthusiast.
Size
But what exactly does this mean for your Fox Red Curly Sedge? How large a pot should you consider, how tall, how wide can it get? Let’s jump in…
The Carex Buchananii can grow up to 2′ – 3′ (60cm – 90cm) in 2′ – 3′ (60cm – 90cm) and 2′ – 3′ (60cm – 90cm) in 2′ – 3′ (60cm – 90cm).
These dimensions make the Fox Red Curly Sedge a relatively medium ornamental grass compared to others, so it’s best to keep this fact in mind since it will affect where you want to keep yours at home.
This is why experts recommend keeping an area of approximately 30″ – 36″ (75cm – 90cm) free so the Fox Red Curly Sedge can spread to its best extent.
Watering
In terms of watering, the Fox Red Curly Sedge is a fairly complicated plant to take care of. This is mostly because it has a not so straightforward watering schedule and somewhat regular watering needs.
Specifically, most experts agree that the Carex Buchananii grows best with regular watering to keep the soil moist during the dry season. Reduce watering once the plant is established.
Which is why it is considered a plant with relatively average needs in terms of water.
As a rule of thumb, you should remember to keep your Fox Red Curly Sedge in soil with moist but well-draining to well draining characteristics, as these will guarantee the right conditions for your plant to grow and thrive.
When you consider this, this is why you should aim to choose soil that has good drainage properties to keep the right moisture levels at all times.
In our experience, the famous ‘thumb’ or ‘finger’ test is what works best for the Fox Red Curly Sedge since with it, you will be able to give it the right amount of water, every time – regardless of the environment or placement where you do decide to keep it.
Soil Mix
When it comes to keeping your Fox Red Curly Sedge healthy, the right soil mix is a big deal. This ornamental grass doesn’t like wet feet, so proper drainage is essential. A well-balanced combination of clay, loam, chalk, and sand helps water flow through while still holding enough moisture for the roots.
For best results, here’s a simple breakdown of what to include in your soil mix:
- Clay: Holds nutrients
- Loam: Provides structure and retains moisture
- Chalk: Helps maintain drainage
- Sand: Prevents compaction and improves aeration
In addition to texture, pH balance plays a role. Luckily, the Fox Red Curly Sedge isn’t picky. It can grow well in alkaline, acidic, or neutral soils.
| Soil Type | Drainage | pH Compatibility |
| Loamy mix | Excellent | Acidic to alkaline |
| Sandy base | Good | Neutral to alkaline |
This flexible nature makes it an ideal pick for both beginner and experienced gardeners alike.
Light and Exposure
In terms of light & exposure, the Fox Red Curly Sedge requires partial to full sun in order for it to thrive under the right conditions.
Most experts agree that this ornamental grass will do well as long as you keep it in partial to full sun, and it will be able to grow properly.
Specifically, we recommend that you place your Carex Buchananii in little to partial shade (only 2-6 hours of direct sunlight a day), to full and direct sun (more 6 hours of direct sunlight per day).
Season
Being an evergreen plant, the Fox Red Curly Sedge will be present year round in your garden. But, you can expect it to have its ‘prime-time’ during the spring (early, mid, late), the summer (early, mid, late), the fall, and during the winter.
Flowers
During the warmer months, the Fox Red Curly Sedge shows off one of its most charming traits—its flowering season. Typically blooming between July and September, this ornamental grass adds a unique visual touch to gardens right in the heart of summer.
The flowers themselves are understated but elegant. You’ll notice delicate shades of brown, silver, and green that blend beautifully with the plant’s curly red foliage. These soft, earthy tones give the plant a natural, wild texture that works well in native landscapes or modern minimalist designs.
Here’s a quick snapshot of its flowering characteristics:
| Bloom Time | Flower Colors | Season |
| July–September | Brown, Silver, Green | Summer |
Whether used as a border accent or planted in containers, these subtle blooms help create a calming, textured backdrop that thrives with minimal effort. Keep an eye out mid-summer—it’s when this grass quietly steals the show.
Foliage
The leaves from the Fox Red Curly Sedge have a beautiful bronze color during most of the year.
Attracts, Tolerance and Resistance
The Fox Red Curly Sedge is well known for its tolerance to animals like deer, so don’t worry if any of these come along, your Carex Buchananii will be fine.
Garden
Does your Fox Red Curly Sedge have any garden recommendations? Does it serve any gardening purposes? Here’s how you can get the most out of your new plant.
Most Carex Buchananii owners agree that this ornamental grass will look great in most cottage, asian/zen contemporary, and rustic gardens of all types. Other owners consider that they complement well most gardens of informal and cottage, coastal, gravel and rock, and prairie and meadow styles.
In particular, the Fox Red Curly Sedge’s best location within your garden is in ground covers, banks and slopes, beds and borders, and patios and containers; others use it for landscaping in humid areas, mass planting, ground cover, green roofs, containers, coastal exposure, borders, or water gardens.
Companion Plants
Fox Red Curly Sedge’s do well with some other plants beside it. One good companion plant is the Clethra, which will pair up nicely with your leafy friend.
Others consider that a nice Forsythia will work well too, so choose whichever you find works best for you!
Conclusion
Even though we covered a lot of care information for your Fox Red Curly Sedge, remember the basics: sunlight, soil and water, as these should be enough to grow a healthy plant at home.
