Pennsylvania Straw Hat Sedge (Carex pensylvanica 'Straw Hat')
KARE-ex pen-sil-VAN-ih-kah 'Straw Hat'

Deciduous Perennial Mounded, Arching, Spreading in the Cyperaceae Family
A compact selection of native Pennsylvania Sedge bred by Brent Horvath in Hebron, Illinois, prized for showier golden-brown flower clusters and a tidy, lower-growing habit that fills in dry shade where many groundcovers struggle.
Carex pensylvanica 'Straw Hat' is a patented (US PP29,432) selection of native Pennsylvania Sedge, discovered as an open-pollinated seedling by plantsman Brent Horvath at his Hebron, Illinois nursery in 2010 and introduced through Intrinsic Introductions in 2016. It keeps the species' fine, grass-like texture and tough, adaptable nature, but forms tighter, lower basal mounds and produces noticeably larger, showier flower clusters — individual florets roughly three to five times wider than the species' — that open about one to two weeks earlier, in mid-April to May. Like its parent species, it spreads slowly by short rhizomes into an even, low carpet rather than a dense solid mat, and its narrow, semi-arching leaves lie flatter by midsummer. It is propagated only by vegetative division to preserve these traits true to type.

Pros

  • Showier, larger flower clusters than the wild species, opening a bit earlier in spring
  • Lower, more compact habit — a tidy, low-maintenance groundcover for dry shade
  • Deer- and rabbit-resistant, with no serious pest or disease problems reported
  • Tolerates average to dry soil once established, including under trees

Cons

  • Patented — may only be propagated by division, not grown from seed
  • Needs regular irrigation if grown in full sun rather than its preferred part shade
  • Spreads slowly, so it takes a season or two to fill in as a groundcover
Highlights Bred in Illinois by Brent Horvath (Intrinsic Introductions) from an open-pollinated Carex pensylvanica seedling found at his Hebron nursery in 2010; US Plant Patent 29,432, granted 2018. Its most distinctive trait is floral: individual florets measure about 10mm wide versus 2-3mm on the species, giving a noticeably showier early-spring bloom.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 6 - 8 inches tall. 6 - 12 inches wide.
Growth Rate Moderate
Sun Exposure Full Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium: Drought-tolerant once established, and more useful for dry shade than most sedges. Does not need or want consistently moist or wet soil — unlike many Carex species sold for rain gardens or pond margins, this one is an upland, dry-soil specialist.
Zones 4a - 9b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Dry Shade Tolerant, Full Shade, Full Sun, Grasses, Groundcover, Medium, Nativar, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Shade Tolerant
Bloom Period Mid-April to May
Flower Color Yellow and Brown
Foliage Color Bright Green
 

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Commonly Planted with...

Pairs well with other shade-garden companions such as Polemonium (Jacob's ladder), hellebores, hostas, and native woodland wildflowers that share its preference for part shade and well-drained to dry soil.
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 05/18 - 09/20
2024 : 05/01 - 09/21
2023 : 05/04 - 09/30

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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.


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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.

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!