Native Plant Database

Header Photo: Mervin Wallace

Expressway Sedge; Clustered Field Sedge

Carex praegracilis
Plant Type: Grasses / Sedges / Rushes
Native Environment: Prairie
Season of Interest: Mid (May - June)
Main Color:
Fall Color:

USDA PLANTS Range Map

At the range map link above, zoom in for county-level data

long green sedge laying down as a natural mulch around trees
Elliot Duemler
Sun Exposure 
Full Sun, Medium Sun/Average Shade
Soil
Moisture
Moderate, High, Wet
Nature Attracting
Butterfly
Wildlife Benefit
Animal
Resistance
Size

Height:

24 to
36
inches

Spread:

10 to
18
inches
Size
Height: 24 to
36
inches
Spread: 10 to
18
inches
Size
Height: 24 to
36
inches
Spread: 10 to
18
inches
Typical Landscape Use
Use between pavers, in wet or poorly draining areas, and as a lawn replacement.
Establishment and Care Instructions
For a more formal look, trim dead foliage before plants leaf out in early spring.
Special Features
Special Usage
Ground Cover, Salt Tolerant
Basic Description

Upright, mounding sedge with dark brown to black rhizomes, small spiked inflorescences, and narrow, mostly basal leaves. Species of prairies and other open areas in western states; adventive in lower Midwest roadside ditches, near railroad tracks and other disturbed areas. High salt tolerance. Plants may be monoecious or dioecious. Native to western US and central Kansas; adventive populations in Kansas City and St. Louis. Use is not recommended outside of urban areas.

Photo: Syntax Design

Where Should I Start?

Check out the Grow Native! Committee’s Top Ten picks of native plants for a particular purpose.

What’s the Next Step?

Picked out your plants? View our Resource Guide of garden centers, seed sources, landscapers, education resources, and more!

Where Can I Find This Plant in Nature?

Learn about the Native Environment(s) inhabited by the plants in this database.

Support the Grow Native! Program
Skip to content