Attractive oval-shaped golden-brown spikes appear on 10-inch stems. Short and compact sedge that is drought tolerant.
Native Plant Database
Header Photo: Mervin Wallace
Shortbeak Sedge; Plains Oval Sedge
Carex brevior
Plant Type: Grasses / Sedges / Rushes
Native Environment: Prairie
Season of Interest: Early (Feb - Apr), Mid (May - June)
Main Color:
Fall Color:
USDA PLANTS Range Map
At the range map link above, zoom in for county-level data

Elliot Duemler

Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Medium Sun/Average Shade

Soil
Moisture
Dry, Moderate, High

Nature Attracting
Songbirds

Wildlife Benefit
Food/Birds

Animal
Resistance
Deer Resistant
Size
Height:
6 to
12
inches
Spread:
6 to
12
inches
Size
Height: 6 to
12
inches
Spread: 6 to
12
inches
Size
Height: 6 to
12
inches
Spread: 6 to
12
inches
Typical Landscape Use
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, Rainscaping
Basic Description
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.