Leavenworth's Sedge (Carex leavenworthii)
KARE-ex leavenworthii

Semi-Evergreen Perennial (usually grown as an annual near you) Tufted, Clump-Forming in the Cyperaceae Family
 
Buy Leavenworth's Sedge
Size Notes Price Availability
38 FLAT Field $103.08 Likely available
1/24 - 4/4

Petite, adaptable native sedge that tolerates everything from full shade to full sun. Low water needs once established; makes an excellent lawn alternative or groundcover.

Carex leavenworthii (Leavenworth's Sedge) is a petite native sedge found scattered through dry upland woodlands, disturbed open woodlands, savannas, and prairie swales across the south-central to mid-central United States, including Illinois. It grows as solitary culms or loose tufts, typically 8 to 16 inches tall, with narrow leaf blades and a small, spiky-looking inflorescence.

Leavenworth's Sedge is remarkably adaptable, tolerating light from full shade to full sun and moisture from mesic to dry conditions. Its low water needs and tolerance for both disturbed and undisturbed sites make it useful as a low-maintenance groundcover or lawn alternative.

Pros

  • Extremely adaptable to light, from full shade to full sun
  • Low water needs once established; low-maintenance
  • Works as a no-mow or low-mow lawn alternative
  • Seeds feed gamebirds and songbirds; deer resistant

Cons

  • Small stature and subtle flowers give it little ornamental show
  • Loose, scattered growth habit may look sparse rather than lush
  • Slow to form a dense groundcover from scattered plantings
This plant may be mostly winter-hardy outdoors where you live, but it may need protection to survive extreme weather.
Why Like A petite, adaptable native sedge, Leavenworth's Sedge tolerates a wide range of light and moisture conditions and is often found in disturbed open woodlands, savannas, and prairie swales. Its seeds are an important food source for gamebirds, sparrows, cardinals, and juncos, and various insects feed on its foliage.
Highlights Exceptionally adaptable to light, from full shade to full sun; low water needs once established; doubles as a lawn alternative; seeds are an important food source for gamebirds and songbirds.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 6 - 16 inches tall. 6 - 12 inches wide.
Growth Rate Fast
Sun Exposure Full Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium: Prefers mesic to dry conditions and has low water needs once established, tolerating considerably drier sites than many other Carex species.
Zones 6a - 9b (Usually hardy to -10° F)
Tags Attracts Birds, Deer Resistant, Dry, Full Shade, Full Sun, Grasses, Illinois Native, Medium, Native to North America, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial
Bloom Period Late Spring to Early Summer
Flower Color Green
Foliage Color Dark Green
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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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!