Glen Murray Tussock

Botanical name: Carex flagellifera
Synonyms: Carex lucida
Common name(s): Glen Murray tussock, Trip me up

About:
A graceful trailing native sedge known for its arching foliage and long pendulous fruiting stems. This adaptable species forms dense flowing tussocks and is widely cultivated for its ornamental texture and movement.

Natural habitat:
Open forest, scrub margins and free-draining coastal to montane habitats, occasionally extending into damp shaded sites.

Growing environment:
Thrives in free-draining soils in full sun to partial shade. Tolerates wind, coastal exposure and moderate moisture, but prefers well-drained sites.

Endemic distribution:
Endemic to New Zealand. Found throughout the North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands.

Height:
350–900 mm tall, with fruiting culms extending to over 2.8 m long

Width:
Forms broad flowing tussocks

Flowering:
September – November

Fruiting:
Throughout the year

Uses:

• Groundcover planting
• Coastal landscaping
• Native gardens
• Bank stabilisation
• Rural planting
• Wall and retaining edge plantings
• Textural landscape planting

Appearance:
Dense tuft-forming sedge with arching to trailing culms and narrow channelled leaves. Foliage ranges from dark green and yellow-green to reddish tones. Fruiting stems elongate dramatically and trail across the ground or cascade over walls.

Ecology:
A widespread species of open forest and scrub ecosystems where it contributes to groundcover diversity and erosion control. Nuts are dispersed by wind and animals.

Associated habitats:
Forest margins, scrubland, coastal slopes, dry gullies and open montane shrubland.

How to grow:
Easy to cultivate from fresh seed or division. Best grown in full sun or light shade in free-draining soil. Particularly effective planted on raised banks or retaining walls where the trailing stems can cascade naturally.

Propagation:
Readily propagated from fresh seed and by division of established clumps.

Cultural use:
Part of New Zealand’s indigenous sedge flora traditionally associated with coastal and forest-edge environments.

Garden value:
A highly ornamental native sedge valued for its flowing habit, fine texture and trailing seed stems. Excellent for softening hard landscaping, edging paths and creating movement in contemporary or naturalistic native gardens.