Deciduous Perennial Clump-Forming, Upright in the Cyperaceae Family
Buy Water Sedge
Size
Notes
Price
Availability
Water-loving sedge with smooth green culms, dark spikes; flower-heads June through August. Spreads by rhizomes; clump forming.
Carex aquatilis, commonly called Water Sedge, is a versatile, water-loving sedge native to northern wetlands across North America, Europe, and Asia (a circumboreal distribution). This clump-forming perennial grows 1-3 feet tall, forming dense, upright stands of lush, blue-green leaf blades.
Its flowers emerge as distinctive, elongated spikes in shades of green that darken to brown or black as they mature. Extremely cold-hardy, Water Sedge thrives in consistently wet to boggy soil along ponds, streams, and marshes.
Pros
Thrives in consistently wet, boggy soil where few other plants succeed
Extremely cold-hardy, circumboreal native
Forms dense, upright clumps useful for erosion control along water features
Low-maintenance once established
Cons
Does not tolerate dry soil
Flowers are inconspicuous, offering little ornamental color
Spreads by rhizomes and can form large colonies over time
Why Like
In the wild, Water Sedge forms dense stands across wetlands, bogs, and stream banks throughout the northern reaches of North America, Europe, and Asia, where it helps stabilize wet soils and provides habitat for wetland wildlife.
Highlights
Extremely cold-hardy, circumboreal wetland sedge; thrives in consistently wet to boggy soil; forms dense, upright clumps; low maintenance once established.
Plant Data
Mature Size
18 - 24 inches
tall. 18 - 24 inches
wide.
Growth Rate
Medium
Sun Exposure
Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance
Medium - Wet
Zones
2a - 8b
(Usually hardy to -50° F)
Tags
Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Full Sun, Grasses, Medium, Native to North America, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant
We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!
Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants
Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.
Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.
Estimated Recipe Cost
The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.
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To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.
Shoot us an email at help@northshoreplantclub.com, and we'll be happy to talk about plants or let you know when it's time to buy them!
No Pricing or Availability Right Now
We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region.
It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.
Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!