Botanical Name: Carex buchananii ‘Red Rooster’

Common Name: Red Rooster Sedge

Hardiness Zone: Perennial in USDA Zones 6–9

Size: 18–24" Tall × 18–24" Spread

Growth Habit: Upright, Clump-Forming, Fine-Textured Habit

Sunlight: Full Sun to Partial Shade

Soil: Well-Drained Soil; Tolerates Average to Poor Soils

Water Needs: Low to Moderate; Drought Tolerant Once Established

Bloom Season: Insignificant Flowers; Grown for Foliage

Fertilizer: Minimal; Avoid Excess Fertility

Features: Copper-Red Foliage, Evergreen to Semi-Evergreen, Heat Tolerant, Deer Resistant

Uses: Containers, Borders, Accent Plantings, Mass Plantings, Modern & Contemporary Landscapes

Patent: ❌ Not Patented

Propagation: ✔ Propagation Permitted

More About Carex ‘Red Rooster’

Carex ‘Red Rooster’ is one of those plants that doesn’t scream for attention with flowers. It earns its keep with foliage alone. And let me tell you, that foliage is something special. The narrow, arching blades emerge with rich copper tones and deepen into bronze and reddish hues, especially as temperatures cool in fall and winter. Around here in the Upstate, when so many perennials are fading out, ‘Red Rooster’ is just getting warmed up. The fine texture adds movement and softness to a planting, but the color gives it backbone. It contrasts beautifully against silvers, chartreuse, deep greens, and even cool-toned blooms. I think it’s like adding a leather accent chair to a room full of neutral furniture.

Unlike many ornamental grasses that peak in summer and then look tired, this sedge truly shines in the shoulder seasons. Fall, Winter, and early Spring are where it shows off. That makes it incredibly valuable in containers and beds where you want year-round structure. It forms a tidy, upright clump without running or flopping, which I deeply appreciate in more structured designs. There’s nothing worse than a plant that refuses to behave. Culturally, ‘Red Rooster’ prefers well-drained soil and does not want to sit wet. In fact, I’ve found it performs best when gardeners resist the urge to overwater. It’s a tough plant once established, tolerating heat and light drought far better than people expect.

Why We Like It (Our Trials)

In our trials here at the garden center, Carex ‘Red Rooster’ proved itself as a steady, reliable performer. Through hot summer spells and cooler snaps, it held its form without collapsing in the center or browning out. The foliage stayed clean and upright, and the color remained rich rather than washed out. That consistency is what wins me over every time. One year, we tucked several of them into matte charcoal containers near our entrance, paired with silver Dichondra and deep purple Heuchera. Customers kept asking what the “red grass” was because it looked so polished and intentional. 

I especially recommend it for gardeners who love bold foliage but don’t want to rely on blooms for impact. ‘Red Rooster’ pairs beautifully with evergreens, silver grasses, dark-leaf perennials, and even bright seasonal color. It delivers warmth, texture, and structure twelve months out of the year, and in my book, that’s a plant that earns its space.

Red Rooster vs. Other Grasses

Carex ‘Red Rooster’ is a cool-season sedge, prized in your lineup for its rich bronze-red foliage and compact habit. Compared to Juncus grasses, Red Rooster offers more color but less height and rigidity. It contrasts with Prince Tut™ by staying lower and denser, and with Pink Muhly Grass by providing foliage interest instead of blooms. Against Fireworks and Rubrum Pennisetum, it feels tighter and more refined.

Red Rooster also differs from Acorus ‘Ogon’, offering darker tones instead of bright gold. Compared to Blue Dart, it has more color variation but less vertical emphasis. It excels in shade or part sun where other grasses struggle. Red Rooster is your best ornamental grass for foliage color, shade tolerance, and refined borders.