Common Name:

General Information

Carex dispalata is a clump-forming, perennial plant forming a cluster of grass-like leaves around 40 - 80cm tall. The plant spreads by means of its thick, elongate stolons and can form colonies[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials. The plant is semi-cultivated and occasionally fully cultivated in rice fields in Japan[, ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - eastern China (Jilin to Zhejiang), Japan, Korea

Habitat

Wet places in lowland by ponds and rivers all over Japan[]. Ditches, marshes, wet areas; at elevations from 500 - 2,900 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.60 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Semi-cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Easily grown in a damp to wet soil in full sun or shade[, ].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[].

Edible Uses

Root - cooked[].

Seed[]. No further details are given, but the seed is small and fiddly to use[].

We have no more specific information for this species, but the young shoots and tender leaf bases of almost all species in this genus have a sweet flavour[]. They furnish a tasty nibble and make an excellent emergency food in the wild since they are widely available[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The leaves are used for bedding[].
The leaves of most species in this genus can be used to make a soft, insulated bedding for sleeping on when camping etc[].

The leaves are used to make hats in Japan[]. They are used to make straw hats[].

An extract of the whole plant is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a humectant and skin conditioner[].

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ in the spring in a moist soil in light shade. If seed is in short supply it can be sown in a cold frame and be planted out in the summer. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 6 weeks at 15°c[]. Species in this genus, when started from seed tend to stay diminutive for over a year, with plant leaves remaining stunted and fragile for a considerable period of time[].
Division in spring[]. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or following spring.