Carex flagellifera
Glen Murray Tussock, also known by its colorful common name "Trip Me Up," is a unique New Zealand endemic sedge renowned for its long, trailing fruiting culms that can extend up to 1.8 meters and often trail gracefully along the ground. This distinctive native forms dense tufts with dark green to yellow-green or reddish foliage, creating a beautiful cascading effect that makes it popular for dramatic garden displays. Found throughout New Zealand from coastal to montane areas, it thrives in free-draining soils under scrub or open forest, demonstrating remarkable adaptability while providing spectacular horticultural value with its unusual whip-like flowering stems. native grasses
Image credit: Glen Murray Tussock (Carex flagellifera). Wikipedia
| Scientific Name | Carex flagellifera |
|---|---|
| Height | 0.35-0.9 meters |
| Spread | Up to 1.8 meters (fruiting culms) |
| Water Needs | Low to moderate |
| Light | Full sun to partial shade |
| Frost Tolerance | Excellent |
| Salt Tolerance | Good (coastal native) |
| Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Lifespan | Long-lived perennial |
Glen Murray Tussock is remarkably adaptable, thriving throughout New Zealand from coastal to montane environments. It performs best in temperate climates with good drainage, adapting to a wide range of conditions from the warm, humid north to the cooler, drier regions of the South Island.
| City | Climate Suitability |
|---|---|
| Whangārei | Ideal |
| Auckland | Ideal |
| Hamilton | Ideal |
| Tauranga | Ideal |
| Rotorua | Ideal |
| Gisborne | Ideal |
| New Plymouth | Ideal |
| Napier | Ideal |
| Whanganui | Ideal |
| Palmerston North | Ideal |
| Wellington | Ideal |
| Nelson | Ideal |
| Christchurch | Ideal |
| Dunedin | Ideal |
| Invercargill | Ideal |
Glen Murray Tussock is adaptable to various soil conditions:
Adaptable to various light conditions:
Low to moderate water needs once established:
Glen Murray Tussock requires minimal maintenance:
The dramatic trailing fruiting culms are the main ornamental feature, so avoid heavy pruning during the flowering and fruiting display periods.
The best time to plant Glen Murray Tussock is during spring or early autumn when temperatures are moderate and establishment is easier.
Choose a site with:
Water regularly during the first growing season to establish strong roots. Once established, this hardy sedge is very low-maintenance.
Growing Glen Murray Tussock from seed is straightforward:
Division is the most reliable propagation method:
Glen Murray Tussock is increasingly available from native plant nurseries, with some offering selected forms for enhanced ornamental characteristics.
Glen Murray Tussock (Carex flagellifera) represents the unique botanical diversity and specialized evolution found within New Zealand's endemic sedge flora:
Today, Glen Murray Tussock serves as both an excellent garden plant and a representative of New Zealand's remarkable sedge diversity, demonstrating how distinctive native plants can successfully transition from natural habitats to ornamental use while retaining their unique character.
Provide well-draining soil and avoid waterlogged conditions, especially in winter. Most problems can be prevented by meeting the plant's basic cultural requirements for good drainage and appropriate siting.
Plant Glen Murray Tussock along the top of retaining walls or raised planters where its spectacular trailing fruiting culms can cascade dramatically - they can reach up to 1.8 meters long and create a living waterfall effect. The dried seed heads are excellent for flower arrangements and can be harvested in late autumn for winter indoor displays. Try positioning it where the trailing stems can catch morning or evening light to create beautiful shadows and highlight the graceful arching movement.
Combine warm‑toned sedges for resilient, low‑maintenance plantings in sunny, free‑draining sites.
Learn more about native grasses and sedges in Grasses & Flaxes.
Carex flagellifera forms upright to arching tussocks in olive to bronze hues, with narrow blades and fine inflorescences that extend the plant’s airy texture. Colour varies with site and season, often deepening in cooler months.
Found on free‑draining coastal to lowland sites, dunes, and light soils where sun and airflow are good. Tolerates wind and some coastal influence when not directly exposed to salt spray.
Tussock form slows wind at ground level, intercepts moving sand, and builds litter. Wind‑pollinated flowers set seed dispersed by wind and surface flow.
Acts as a durable matrix species in dry, sunny plantings, providing year‑round structure and stabilising light, nutrient‑poor soils.
Space 50–60 cm apart for broad sweeps. Water through the first summer only. Minimal feeding; excess nutrients reduce colour and compactness. Gravel mulch improves drainage at the crown.
Comb out old blades in late winter; avoid hard cutting. Divide if clumps thin in the centre. Maintain drainage to prevent crown rot during unusually wet periods.
Excellent with Phormium, Austroderia, and prostrate Coprosma on dunes and dry banks. The warm foliage tone adds depth to predominantly green schemes.
Widespread and not regarded as threatened. In restoration, use eco‑sourced plants and control invasive grasses during establishment. Protect dunes from trampling to maintain natural recruitment.
Sedges supported weaving and indicated wetland health; in designed dryland gardens, C. flagellifera provides movement, drought tolerance, and soil stabilisation on banks and dunes.
Mixed with other Carex, it creates habitat for invertebrates and reduces evaporation, improving resilience in exposed sites.
