Pennsylvania Sedge

Carex pensylvanica

Native to: All New England

Life cycle: Perennial

Light: Full Sun to Full Shade

Soil Moisture: Medium to Dry

Height: 6-10”
Spread: 12-18”
Spacing: 6-10”

Natural Habitat: Both wide open sunny meadows and in dense, dry woodlands. It is often in sandy, acidic soils.

Pairs Well With: Wild columbine, yellow trout lily, flax-leaved stiff-aster, bearberry, common star-grass, and wood ferns.

Benefits: Bird Favorite, Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Urban Environment, Host Plant

“Carex pensylvanica is a fine-textured Sedge that reproduces by rhizomes and rarely reaches heights of more than 8" when blooming. It is sought-after for its look of a traditional lawn and for its dry-soil tolerance and ability to grow in full sun or full shade. To get a solid stand of this hardy sedge that so many desire, divide plants over the years. It will spread between 3-8" each year depending on the soil moisture of the site. ”

–Prairie Moon Nursery

“Pennsylvania sedge supports dozens of butterfly and moth species, a prime lawn alternative for dry shade and moist sun. This short sedge spreads gradually to form a dense mat. Needing neither irrigation nor mowing, it grows quite nicely where traditional turf struggles.”

–Native Plant Trust

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