Not Hostas, Not Coral Bells: The Bold Yellow Plant That's Great For Your Shaded Garden

Not that there's anything wrong with hostas or coral bells, but these two beautiful plants have become a bit overused as suggestions for shady gardens. For a burst of sunny yellow in a garden that's short on sun, it's time to get to know 'Banana Boat' creeping broad-leafed sedge (Carex siderosticha 'Banana Boat'). Funny enough, 'Banana Boat' plays well with coral bells and hostas, so there's no reason to ditch these other tried-and-true shade plants.

'Banana Boat' is a perennial grass native to East Asia and has yellow strappy leaves edged and striped in green. Despite being non-native to North America and the fact that it spreads by rhizomes, it hasn't been reported as invasive and isn't hard to control. If your outdoor space is rich with trees and you live in zones 4 to 9, 'Banana Boat' will brighten the shadowy spots. This robust plant serves well as an accent plant or border and will effortlessly fill your garden with color.

Looks and hardiness zones aside, there are other reasons to invite this creeping broad-leafed sedge to your garden party. It's a low-maintenance plant, especially if you live in an area with adequate rainfall. Deer and other pests tend to stay away from 'Banana Boat', and it's resistant to most diseases other than rust. 'Banana Boat' sends up floral spikes in spring in gradients of cream to copper, and although the flowers aren't the main reason to love the look of this plant, you will undoubtedly love seeing the songbirds and other small animals that flock to eat the resulting seeds.

Now that you've brought home a 'Banana Boat' to brighten your shady landscape, the best spots for it to flourish are heavily shaded areas near a water source; it grows happily along the edges of ponds or creeks. It's also a colorful addition to a rain garden design. However, if you don't have a rain garden or water source and your yard lacks deep shade, look for an area where the soil tends to stay moist and receives six hours of sunlight or less. 'Banana Boat' will even tolerate fully wet soils. Also note that it is slow-growing and eventually reaches heights and widths of 6 to 12 inches, so allow up to 12 inches between each plant.

'Banana Boat' also performs well in a pot, especially under the shade of a covered patio. It works well as a filler for container gardens and hanging baskets. However, you may need to add a bit of organic matter to the soil before planting.

Once the growing season comes to an end, 'Banana Boat' keeps its leaves year-round in the Deep South, making it perfect for a winter garden. But for cooler regions, prune the leaves back in late winter or early spring. You can also divide 'Banana Boat' rhizomes for propagation in spring.