Variegated Black Flowering Sedge

Carex nigra ‘Variegata’, also marketed as ‘On-line’, is a low spreading sedge with light green leaves edged in yellow and dark flower spikes. Its fine, variegated foliage forms a groundcover for moist borders, woodland edges and waterside plantings. ## Landscape use Use it as a low edging plant, in a rock garden, or in a damp woodland border. The [RHS profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/171739/carex-nigra-variegata/details) describes a slowly spreading evergreen sedge with creamy-yellow leaf margins and purplish-black spikes. [Plant Delights Nursery](https://www.plantdelights.com/products/carex-nigra-variegata) identifies the cultivar as a spreading groundcover with light green centers and gold leaf bands. ## Size and siting Plant in full sun or partial shade where the soil remains moist; it can tolerate poorly drained or boggy conditions. Plant Delights lists a 12-inch height and USDA zones 4a–8b. Plant Delights lists a 12-inch height, while the [RHS profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/171739/carex-nigra-variegata/details) describes plants to about 45 cm (18 in.) and gives a broader 0.1–0.5 m range. These records support a low, spreading form. The RHS H7 rating is a UK scale and is not converted to a USDA zone. ## Maintenance Keep soil consistently moist, particularly in sun, and remove damaged foliage when needed. The dark spikes appear from early to late summer in the RHS account, while other horticultural descriptions place flowering around late spring and early summer. Allow the plant to spread as a groundcover or divide it to maintain a smaller patch.