Greater Straw Sedge Carex normalis
Other Common Name(s):
- Description
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Greater straw sedge is a native perennial sedge in the Cyperaceae family. The genus name Carex is Latin for "cutter" referring to the sharp leaves and stems and normalis means "right angles" again referring to the leaves.
Plant it in the full sun to partial shade though it tolerates deep sage. It needs rich moist to wet soils and especially moist if planted in the full sun. Some temporary flooding is tolerated. This sedge has a clumping habit but can also spread out in the landscape if there is room.
To maintain the shape of this plant, cut it back to the ground each winter. It will self-seed easily and can also spread by underground rhizomes. This plant is resistant to browsing by deer. Mass plant this sedge as a groundcover or use it as an accent or specimen plant. It works well in a border front and can withstand the shade of woodland garden plantings. Its like of wet feet make ideal for riparian areas, rain gardens, or pond margins.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Carex
- Species:
- normalis
- Family:
- Cyperaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- North central and eastern U.S.A. and eastern Canada
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Creeping
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is tiny achenes surrounded by bracts in early summer.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Spike
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Description:
- Insignificant green flowers on tufted spikes appear late spring to mid-summer. The inflorescence consists of tightly packed spikes on multibranched stems.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Narrow linear leaves that resemble grass blades that are 1/4" wide and 2 feet long that sheath the stem. Green-veined usually with white intervals.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Angular
- Stem Description:
- Triangular shaped green culms
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Pond
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rain Garden
- Water Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Heavy Shade
- Wet Soil
