How often to water forest sedge in California
In July on the north-central coast, established forest sedge in loam needs a deep watering about every 9 days: about 1.5 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 1.1 gallons a week. Forest sedge, also called wood sedge, is a clump-forming evergreen with glossy, strap-shaped green leaves. Its dense tufts grow 1 1/2 to 3 feet tall and wide. Arching, yellow-green flower stems appear in summer. It grows in sun or part shade and is at its best in damp ground, including the edges of ponds and streams.
How often to water forest sedge, month by month
Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.
How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1 foot of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area the plant covers, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.
How to tell it needs water
- Leaf tips browning and tufts thinning as the soil dries in summer show this damp-loving sedge needs water
- Soil dry an inch down around the clump in warm weather means it is time to water
- Crowns sitting under standing water for long spells, such as in a saucer that never empties, get more than it needs
- Flattened, tired foliage in summer can be cut back by half, which refreshes the clump better than extra water
- Ragged winter tufts should wait for a spring tidy, since it should not be pruned in autumn or winter
How to water it
- Water at the base of the clumps, keeping the soil evenly damp through the dry months
- Soak about 6 to 8 inches deep, and water again before the surface dries out completely
- Plant in sun or part shade in moist soil, including heavy clay or a spot by a pond or stream
- Cut back by half between April and July if needed, never in autumn or winter
- Divide crowded clumps in spring, and water the new divisions well
Through the seasons
Keep new divisions moist until they root in, ideally after a spring planting. The clumps stay evergreen, and the flower stems arch out in summer. Dry summers are the hard season, so keep the soil damp then, and check clumps more often away from the coast. Winter rain usually covers it on the coast. WUCOLS rates forest sedge moderate water on the north-central coast and on the south coast. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the Central Valley, South Inland, the high desert or the low desert.
In pots
Forest sedge can grow in a large container, where its arching flower stems spill over the rim. Use a moisture-holding potting mix in a pot with drainage holes. In warm weather, check the mix daily and water before it dries out, since this sedge likes damp soil. Let excess water drain, and do not leave the pot standing in water for long. In winter, keep the mix just damp.
- A year
- no figure
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
WUCOLS lists Forest Sedge as not evaluated for the Central Valley zone, so no monthly figure is computed here.
Monthly water need by climate zone
Forest Sedge: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone
| Month | N. Coast | C. Valley | S. Coast | S. Inland | Hi Desert | Lo Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.37 | – | 0.78 | – | – | – |
| Feb | 0.53 | – | 0.81 | – | – | – |
| Mar | 0.87 | – | 1.15 | – | – | – |
| Apr | 1.18 | – | 1.4 | – | – | – |
| May | 1.46 | – | 1.61 | – | – | – |
| Jun | 1.61 | – | 1.74 | – | – | – |
| Jul | 1.61 | – | 1.98 | – | – | – |
| Aug | 1.49 | – | 1.86 | – | – | – |
| Sep | 1.24 | – | 1.49 | – | – | – |
| Oct | 0.87 | – | 1.15 | – | – | – |
| Nov | 0.47 | – | 0.84 | – | – | – |
| Dec | 0.31 | – | 0.65 | – | – | – |
| Year | 12 | – | 15.5 | – | – | – |
How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.
Plants with the same water needs 16
Rated not evaluated in the Central Valley, like forest sedge. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.
Lilyleaf LadybellsAdenophora liliifolianot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
ArnicaArnica montananot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Frilly BergeniaBergenia ciliatanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Cabbage on a StickBrighamia insignisnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Basket PlantCallisia fragransnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Umbrella DracaenaDianella ensifolianot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Rusty FoxgloveDigitalis ferrugineanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Big-Flowered FoxgloveDigitalis grandifloranot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Woolly FoxgloveDigitalis lanatanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Sunset FoxgloveDigitalis obscuranot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Male FernDryopteris filix-masnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Alpine Sea HollyEryngium alpinumnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Purple SpurgeEuphorbia dulcisnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Queen of the MeadowFilipendula ulmarianot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
DropwortFilipendula vulgaris (Filipendula hexapetala)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
GentianGentiana scabra procumbensnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingTurn this into minutes on your water days
Every city page has a calculator that takes forest sedge, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.
Questions people ask
How much water does forest sedge need per day?
In July on the north-central coast, established forest sedge needs about 0.2 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 0.7 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.
Does watering for forest sedge change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates forest sedge separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, not evaluated in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, not evaluated in the South Inland zone, not evaluated in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, not evaluated in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.
Can forest sedge grow by a pond?
Yes. It is ideal for damp or boggy spots and grows well at the edges of ponds and streams. It even handles poorly drained soil.
Should I cut back forest sedge?
Only if needed. Cut it back by half between April and July. Do not prune it in autumn or winter.
Does forest sedge grow in sun?
Yes. It grows in full sun or part shade. In sunny spots, keep the soil damp through summer.
Is forest sedge evergreen?
Yes. The glossy leaves stay through winter, so the clumps hold their shape all year. Tidy any damaged leaves in spring.
How do I propagate forest sedge?
Divide established clumps in spring. Replant the pieces at once and keep them moist until new growth starts.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Carex sylvatica, the University of California survey California agencies use for landscape plan reviewRead August 23, 2026 on wucols.ucdavis.edu
- Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, adopted text and appendices, effective 2025-01-02 · monthly reference evapotranspiration per city, Appendix CRead August 23, 2026 on water.ca.gov/-/media/DWR-Website/Web-Pages/Programs/Water-Use-And-Efficiency/MWELO-Rulemaking/Final-MWELO-Text-and-Appendices_20250103.pdf
- UC Statewide IPM Program, irrigation scheduling using evapotranspirationRead September 30, 2026 on ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/ENVIRON/evap.html
- Shaw and Pittenger, Landscape Irrigation System Evaluation and Management, UC Cooperative Extension, 2009Read September 30, 2026 on ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2013-02/160836.pdf
- Pittenger, Water Management in Gardens and Landscapes, UC Riverside, 2017Read September 30, 2026 on ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2017-03/258022.pdf