A striking and robust New Zealand native sedge, well suited to wetland restoration and large-scale landscape plantings. Cyperus ustulatus forms bold architectural clumps and performs exceptionally well in exposed, moisture-rich environments.
🌱 Plant Facts
Growth habit: Vigorous, clump-forming sedge
Foliage: Deep olive to green, broad and glossy with extremely sharp edges
Stems: Tall, triangular culms bearing dense, dark-brown seed heads
Height: Up to 1.5 m
Flowering: July – December
Fruiting: July – April
⚠️ Caution: Leaf, keel, and stem margins are extremely sharp and can cause deep cuts. Not recommended for high-traffic areas or small domestic gardens.
🌍 Natural Habitat
Coastal to lowland sites in open ground
Common along wetland margins, seepages, stream sides, lagoons, and estuaries
Highly adaptable, but shows a strong preference for permanently or seasonally wet soils
🌿 Growing Environment
Salt tolerant
Wetland tolerant
Wind tolerant
Best planted in riparian zones, wetlands, stormwater swales, and large open landscapes where its size and vigour can be fully expressed.
📍 Endemic Distribution
Abundant throughout the North Island and northern South Island, extending west to Fiordland
Naturally uncommon at its eastern South Island limit (Tai Tapu, Motukarara, Banks Peninsula, Rakaia River mouth)
Also present on the Chatham Islands
Not threatened
🌾 Uses
Riparian and wetland restoration plantings
Stream, lagoon, and estuary margin stabilisation
Large-scale revegetation and ecological enhancement projects
🪴 Cultivation Notes (Live Plant)
A long-lived, hardy sedge that establishes readily in wet or seasonally waterlogged soils. Once established, it requires little maintenance but is highly competitive and best reserved for areas where its vigorous growth will not overwhelm smaller companion species. Its bold form and dark seed heads add strong visual structure to restoration plantings.
Approximate product size:
• PB3/4 (5cm – 20cm, 350ml)
• PB3 (20cm – 70cm, 1.5L)
• PB8 (50cm+, 3.5L)
Timeframe:
We ship Monday – Wednesday for South Island customers and Monday/Tuesday for Rural and North Island customers. Orders placed after Monday will be fulfilled the following week.
Local pick ups and/or deliveries will be made by arrangement.
“We donate $1 to national conservation efforts, helping to protect and restore New Zealand’s natural heritage”
A striking and robust New Zealand native sedge, well suited to wetland restoration and large-scale landscape plantings. Cyperus ustulatus forms bold architectural clumps and performs exceptionally well in exposed, moisture-rich environments.
🌱 Plant Facts
Growth habit: Vigorous, clump-forming sedge
Foliage: Deep olive to green, broad and glossy with extremely sharp edges
Stems: Tall, triangular culms bearing dense, dark-brown seed heads
Height: Up to 1.5 m
Flowering: July – December
Fruiting: July – April
⚠️ Caution: Leaf, keel, and stem margins are extremely sharp and can cause deep cuts. Not recommended for high-traffic areas or small domestic gardens.
🌍 Natural Habitat
Coastal to lowland sites in open ground
Common along wetland margins, seepages, stream sides, lagoons, and estuaries
Highly adaptable, but shows a strong preference for permanently or seasonally wet soils
🌿 Growing Environment
Salt tolerant
Wetland tolerant
Wind tolerant
Best planted in riparian zones, wetlands, stormwater swales, and large open landscapes where its size and vigour can be fully expressed.
📍 Endemic Distribution
Abundant throughout the North Island and northern South Island, extending west to Fiordland
Naturally uncommon at its eastern South Island limit (Tai Tapu, Motukarara, Banks Peninsula, Rakaia River mouth)
Also present on the Chatham Islands
Not threatened
🌾 Uses
Riparian and wetland restoration plantings
Stream, lagoon, and estuary margin stabilisation
Large-scale revegetation and ecological enhancement projects
🪴 Cultivation Notes (Live Plant)
A long-lived, hardy sedge that establishes readily in wet or seasonally waterlogged soils. Once established, it requires little maintenance but is highly competitive and best reserved for areas where its vigorous growth will not overwhelm smaller companion species. Its bold form and dark seed heads add strong visual structure to restoration plantings.
Approximate product size:
• PB3/4 (5cm – 20cm, 350ml)
• PB3 (20cm – 70cm, 1.5L)
• PB8 (50cm+, 3.5L)
Timeframe:
We ship Monday – Wednesday for South Island customers and Monday/Tuesday for Rural and North Island customers. Orders placed after Monday will be fulfilled the following week.
Local pick ups and/or deliveries will be made by arrangement.
“We donate $1 to national conservation efforts, helping to protect and restore New Zealand’s natural heritage”
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