Poyt448 Peter Woodard, no rights reserved (CC0) · Wikimedia Commons

Caustis spp.

curly-wigs

Cyperaceae Eastern Australia

Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 9–10

Overview

Caustis spp. is a small genus of wiry perennial sedges in the sedge family (Cyperaceae), native to eastern Australia. The plants grow as tufts of stiff, branching, curling stems 1-5 feet (30-150 cm) tall, with the true leaves reduced to sheaths so that the green, often zig-zagging or coiled stems do most of the photosynthesis. The most familiar, Caustis flexuosa, is called curly-wigs for its tangled, spring-like branchlets, while Caustis blakei, the koala fern, has straighter stems cut and sold in the florist trade. Small brown sedge spikelets sit along the stems in spring and summer and shed wind-borne pollen. The genus grows in heath and dry sclerophyll woodland on poor, sandy, sharply drained soils, often after fire. Plants are slow to establish and depend on particular soil fungi, which makes them hard to grow from seed or transplant, so much of the cut foliage is still gathered from the wild. They need sun, lean sandy soil, and sharp drainage, and they fail in rich or wet ground.

Native Range

The genus is native to eastern and southeastern Australia, from Queensland through New South Wales to Victoria and Tasmania. The plants grow in coastal heath, sandy woodland, and dry ridges, usually on nutrient-poor, sharply drained sandy soils.

Suggested Uses

In cultivation the genus is grown in sandy native and coastal gardens and in containers for its curling, textured stems. The cut stems of the koala fern and curly-wigs are used as long-lasting foliage in floristry. Plants also feature in heathland restoration on poor sandy soils.

How to Identify

Look for a tussock of thin, wiry, branching stems that curl, zig-zag, or twist, green and rush-like, with almost no visible leaf blades. Small brown sedge spikelets are scattered along the upper stems. The springy, tangled habit, especially in curly-wigs, sets the genus apart from straight-stemmed rushes and sedges.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 5'

Width/Spread1' - 3'

Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years

Colors

Flower Colors

brown

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Spring Summer

Brown sedge flowers appear along the stems in spring and into summer, mostly inconspicuous and wind-pollinated. The spikelets shed pollen and then form small nut-like seeds. Flowering follows the warmer months in the southern range and is often stronger after fire.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range4.5 - 6.5(Acidic)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-4 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Plants grow in full sun to light shade on lean, sandy, sharply drained soil with an acid pH of about 4.5 to 6.5. The genus withstands drought, wind, and poor ground but fails quickly in rich, heavy, or wet soil. Establishment is slow and uncertain, since the plants rely on specific root fungi that are hard to provide in cultivation. Plants raised in containers are kept on the dry side in very free-draining mix. Once settled, clumps need little care and resent disturbance at the roots. Most cut stems for the florist trade are still harvested from wild stands rather than farmed.

Pruning

Old or browned stems are cut out at the base to tidy the clump and make room for fresh growth. Plants tolerate being cut for foliage, which is taken in lengths from the tussock. Hard cutting back is held off, as the slow-growing clumps recover poorly from heavy removal.