Summary ²

Carex stricta is a species of sedge known by the common names upright sedge and tussock sedge. It is grass-like and can be difficult to distinguish from other plants, because of its long, triangular, green stems. The plant grows in moist marshes, forests and alongside bodies of water. It grows up to 2 feet (0.61 m) tall and 2 feet (0.61 m) wide. When the leaves die, they build on top of or around the living plant, making a "tussock".

Description ³

Family:
Cyperaceae (Sedge)

Height:
1 to 3 feet

Leaves:
Narrow and longer than the stem, smooth up to ⅙ inches wide

Stem:
Slender, triangular, and rough to the touch

Seedhead:
Brown spike, resembling a fox’s tail, with long bristles

Nicknames:
Upright Sedge

Habitat:
Marshes, wet meadows, stream banks, shorelines, and in ditches

Wildlife Benefits:
Provides food and cover for many species of wildlife.

Can I plant this in my garden?
Plant in full to partial sun, and moist to wet soils. This sedge forms large clumps.

References:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/grass-sedge-rush/tussock-sedge

Range ³

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, all rights reserved, uploaded by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District
2. Adapted by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carex_stricta
3. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• eFloras.org
• Flora of North America (beta)
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Go Botany
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos
• USDA PLANTS database
• VASCAN by Canadensys
• World Flora Online

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