North Shore Plant Club
Fringed Sedge (Carex crinita)
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| Deciduous Perennial Upright, Spreading in the Cyperaceae Family | |
Native wetland sedge with shaggy, fringe-like seed spikes; thrives in wet soil and standing water. |
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Carex crinita is a native North American sedge that forms large, spreading clumps. Growing 2-4 feet tall, this species features wide, bright green leaf blades and distinctive, shaggy flower and seed spikes covered in long, drooping bristles that often arch gracefully downward as they mature. Fringed Sedge prefers consistently moist to wet, rich soils in full sun to partial shade, and also tolerates average garden soil with medium moisture. It is naturally found in wet meadows, swamps, stream banks, and other damp habitats across eastern and central North America. C. crinita is valued for its ability to tolerate standing water, provide erosion control, and create striking textural interest. In the landscape, Carex crinita makes an excellent choice for use in rain gardens, wetland plantings, and along the edges of ponds or streams. Its large, spreading habit allows it to be effectively used as a groundcover or accent planting. Fringed Sedge also provides food and shelter for various wetland wildlife, including waterfowl. With minimal care required, it is a resilient and adaptable native sedge. |
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| Why Like | Fringed Sedge is a valuable wetland native that forms dense clumps useful for erosion control along streams, pond margins, and wet meadows. Its shaggy, drooping flower and seed spikes provide food and habitat value for waterfowl and other wetland wildlife, and the species is widely used in wetland restoration and retention basin plantings. |
| Highlights | Distinctive shaggy, bristled seed spikes and strong tolerance for standing water make this native sedge a wetland-garden standout. |
Plant Data | |
| Mature Size | 24 - 48 inches tall. 12 - 24 inches wide. |
| Sun Exposure | Partial Shade - Full Sun |
| Moisture Tolerance | Medium - Wet |
| Zones | 3a - 9b (Usually hardy to -40° F) |
| Tags | Attracts Birds, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Erosion Control, Full Sun, Grasses, Illinois Native, Medium, Native to North America, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant |
| Bloom Period | May to July |
| Flower Color | Green, Brown |
Plant Club Content |
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More Info from Experts |
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Pricing and Availability HistoryClick a label to toggle visibility for that size
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Past Availability2025 : 04/03 - 10/042024 : 05/01 - 10/05 2023 : 05/04 - 09/30 |
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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!
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.
The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.
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Membership is free, but — since we rely on delivery and local pick-up — you have to live near one of our hubs (or be willing to drive to a site to pick them up). If you live farther away, and would like to help us bring the club to your neighbors, please email helpusgrow@northshoreplantclub.com.
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!
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!