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Broad-leaved Woolly Sedge

Carex pellita

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Category
Grass / Sedge / Rush
Sun
Full to Partial
Soil moisture
Wet to Medium-Wet
Bloom time
Jun
Notes
Cool, Calcareous

About Broad-leaved Woolly Sedge

Broad-leaved Woolly Sedge, or simply Woolly Sedge, is a robust and hardy wetland specialist known for its ability to thrive in challenging soil conditions. Reaching up to 3 feet in height, this perennial sedge features sturdy stems and relatively narrow, blue-green leaves that provide excellent structural interest. It is particularly notable for its tolerance of calcareous or alkaline soils and its ability to colonize disturbed sites. In late spring to summer, it produces fuzzy, woolly-textured seed heads that give the plant its name. Native to wet meadows, marshes, and fens across much of North America, it plays a key role in soil stabilization and wetland restoration due to its extensive rhizomatous root system. The seeds provide sustenance for waterfowl and other wetland birds. It is an ideal candidate for rain gardens, bioswales, or any area with consistently wet soil, providing vibrant green color early in the spring as a cool-season grower.

Native range

Native to 42 states:

ArkansasArizonaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutD.C.DelawareIowaIdahoIllinoisIndianaKansasKentuckyMassachusettsMarylandMaineMichiganMinnesotaMissouriMontanaNorth DakotaNebraskaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNevadaNew YorkOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVirginiaVermontWashingtonWisconsinWest VirginiaWyoming

County range map

BONAP county-level native range map for Carex pellita

Range map courtesy of BONAP (Biota of North America Program).

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