Species › Plants › Gray's Sedge

Gray's Sedge

Carex grayi

CommonPlant
Illustration of Gray's Sedge (Carex grayi)

Gray's Sedge is a moisture-loving sedge with spectacularly ornamental fruiting heads resembling a medieval mace — a spherical cluster of star-burst perigynia with long beaks pointing in all directions. Native to moist lowland forests and floodplains of eastern North America, it grows 1–3 feet tall. The persistent mace-like seed heads remain attractive through fall and winter. Gray's Sedge is increasingly popular in ornamental rain gardens and moist landscape designs.

Habitat
Found in floodplain forests, moist bottomlands, and shaded stream banks in eastern North America.
Diet
Seeds consumed by waterfowl and wood ducks; provides cover for amphibians and ground-nesting birds.
How common
Common

Best time to see a Gray's Sedge

The best time to see a Gray's Sedge is May–June, when about 66% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 6,912 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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