Porcupine Sedge (Carex hystericina)
KARE-ex hystericina

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Clump-Forming in the Cyperaceae Family
Moisture-loving species with fat bristly seedheads.
Carex hystericina is a native North American wetland sedge that forms upright, loose-to-dense clumps from short rhizomes, typically 18 to 36 inches tall. Its bright green, relatively wide leaves support distinctive, bristly, inflated seed spikes that give the species both its common name and its species epithet (hystericina, from the Latin for 'porcupine' or 'hedgehog'). The basal leaf sheaths often show a red-to-purple tinge. Found naturally along stream banks, in wet meadows, marshes, and other seasonally wet habitats, it tolerates everything from full sun to partial shade as long as the soil stays consistently moist to wet.

Pros

  • Distinctive inflated, bristly seed spikes add unusual texture to wet plantings
  • Tolerates full sun to partial shade as long as soil stays moist
  • Deer- and rabbit-resistant native for rain gardens and pond edges
  • Good for erosion control and bioswales along water margins

Cons

  • Needs consistently moist to wet soil — not suited to average or dry sites
  • Can look a bit coarse or weedy compared to finer ornamental sedges
  • Spreads by rhizomes and self-seeding, so it can colonize a wet area over time
Why Like A striking addition to any wet meadow or rain garden restoration, valued for its unusual, spiky seed heads as much as its ecological role stabilizing soil along streams and wetland margins. Its dense clumps provide structure and cover in the wet habitats many wildlife species depend on.
Highlights Named for its spiky, 'porcupine'-like seed spikes — inflated, bristly perigynia that are among the most distinctive in the genus. A genuinely useful wetland workhorse for bioswales, rain gardens, and pond margins, tolerant of both full sun and partial shade as long as its feet stay wet.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 18 - 36 inches tall. 12 - 24 inches wide.
Growth Rate Moderate
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium - Wet: A true wetland sedge: thrives in consistently moist to wet soil and tolerates standing water. Does not tolerate drought or extended dry spells.
Zones 3a - 8b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Birds, Attracts Wildlife, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Erosion Control, Full Sun, Good for Rain Garden, Grasses, Illinois Native, Medium, Native to North America, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant
Bloom Period May - June
Flower Color Green, maturing to Brown
Foliage Color Green
 

Plant Club Content

Commonly Planted with...

Pairs well with other wet-soil natives such as blue flag iris, swamp milkweed, Joe Pye weed, and other moisture-loving sedges and rushes in a rain garden, bioswale, or pond-edge planting.
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 05/04 - 09/30

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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.


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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.

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