Rhynchospora colorata

Common Names

Starrush Whitetop, White Star Sedge, White-Topped Sedge, Star Sedge

Summary

Rhynchospora colorata is an evergreen, grasslike sedge native to the southeastern United States, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America, it grows as a slender, clump-forming perennial up to about 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, spreading slowly by underground rhizomes to form dense patches, leaves are narrow and linear, arising from the base, the inflorescence features small spikelets surrounded by white bracts with green tips, producing a star-like, showy display, and habitats include moist to wet soils in marsh edges, wet prairies, coastal dunes, and similar wetlands, cultivation favors full sun to part shade and consistently moist to wet soils, brackish water tolerance is noted, and hardiness spans USDA zones 7 to 10, propagation is by division or seed, and clumps can be divided to control size, the plant spreads slowly by rhizomes and is well suited for pond margins, water gardens, rain gardens, bioswales, and stormwater wetlands, adding ornamental white bracts while attracting pollinators such as bees and butterflies, maintenance is low, and drought intolerance requires regular moisture, it tolerates a range of soils from sands to loams and can be used as groundcover in suitable moist landscapes.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

12-24 inches

Spread

24-36 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7-10

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full Sun to Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Consistently moist to wet soils, preferring more alkaline conditions

Soil Drainage

Moist to wet soils

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Spring through Fall.

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Slow

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Division, Seeds

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds