Carex plantaginea

Plantain Leaved Sedge is a short, perennial, sedge species that typically grows about 0.5 m in height. This plant may also be known by the common name Seersucker Sedge. The leaves are bright lime green coloured, broad, wrinkly, have reddish purple coloured sheaths at the base, have three distinctive veins, and appear in arching basal clumps. The flowers are small, green spikes, appear on short erect stalks, and bloom between May and June. Plantain Leaved Sedge is easy to grow and is low maintenance. The roots can be useful for controlling erosion and stabilizing shorelines. The seeds are also beneficial to wildlife species, like birds and small mammals.

Plantain Leaved Sedge grows best in moist conditions with shade or partial sun exposure. It prefers well-drained, organically rich humus or loam soil types. It can tolerate dry sites if shaded, deer grazing, alkaline soil, and rocky soil. This sedge can be naturally found in moist forests, shaded slopes, and along shaded stream shorelines.

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Scientific Name: Carex plantaginea
Type: Ground Cover
Height: 0.5 m
Spread: 1 m
Moisture Level: moist
Light Conditions: part sun, shade
Soil Conditions: loam, rocky
Zone (Hardiness of Canada):