Pennsylvania Sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
[KARE-eks pen-sil-VAN-ih-kah]

Deciduous Perennial Arching, Loosely Spreading in the Cyperaceae Family
 
Buy Pennsylvania Sedge
Size Notes Price Availability
#1 gallon Field $14.22 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4
18 Flat Field $90.68 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4
50ct Plug Deep Flat Field $135.63 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4
Tray of 10 4" pots Field $68.20 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4
Tray of 6 #1 gallons Field $74.40 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4
Tray of 6 #1 gallons Field

8-10" high; FRESH; native; full; VERY NICE (9/27)

 $80.55 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4

Discover the charm of Carex pensylvanica, a versatile native sedge that thrives in woodland settings! Its lush, arching foliage adds texture and elegance to shaded gardens while providing vital habitat for wildlife.
Pennsylvania Sedge is a native woodland Carex found across much of eastern and central North America, typically in dry, open understories beneath oak and other hardwoods — a habit that's earned it the common name "oak sedge." It forms loose, airy colonies by creeping rhizomes with reddish-brown roots, rather than a dense solid mat. The fine, arching, grass-like leaves are semi-evergreen and give the plant a soft, delicate texture. It tolerates shade to partial sun and prefers dry, well-drained soil, though it can take more sun with adequate moisture. Because it spreads steadily but stays low and fine-textured, it's often used as a shade lawn substitute — left unmowed, or mowed as low as two inches a few times a season.

Pros

  • Illinois native sedge, well-suited to local dry woodland conditions
  • Thrives in dry shade where few other groundcovers succeed
  • Deer resistant
  • Low-maintenance lawn alternative — needs little to no mowing

Cons

  • Spreads slowly; plugs or divisions establish faster than seed
  • Does not tolerate heavy foot traffic
  • Can look sparse the first year or two while colonizing
Why Like A common, unassuming presence in dry oak woodlands across its native range, Pennsylvania Sedge forms the loose, fine-textured groundlayer beneath many eastern and midwestern hardwood forests. Its rhizomatous colonies help stabilize soil on wooded slopes, and its foliage serves as a larval host for satyr butterflies (Megisto and Satyrodes species) while its seeds provide food for songbirds and small mammals.
Highlights Fine-textured, semi-evergreen foliage; one of the few sedges that prefers dry soil; tolerates full shade to partial sun; useful as a no-mow or low-mow lawn alternative; deer resistant; host plant for satyr butterfly caterpillars and a food source for birds and small mammals.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 8 - 12 inches tall. 12 - 18 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Full Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium: Dry to medium. Unlike most Carex species, Pennsylvania Sedge does not tolerate consistently wet or poorly-drained soil.
Zones 3a - 7b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Wildlife, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Edging, Erosion Control, Filler, For a Shady Spot, Foundation, Full Shade, Full Sun, Good for Beginners, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Grasses, Groundcover, Illinois Native, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Native to North America, Naturalizing, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Shade Tolerant, Tolerant of Loamy Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period April to May
Flower Color Green
Foliage Color Green
 

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Absolutely Easy Garden Recipes that include Pennsylvania Sedge
 

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More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) Dales alum root (Heuchera americana 'Dales Strain') Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricata) Creeping foam flower (Tiarella cordifolia) Woodland sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus) American coral bell, alumroot (Heuchera americana)

Photos of This with...

Jack Frost Siberian Bugloss, Biokovo Hardy Geranium, Coral Bells 'Caramel', Alumroot 'Electra', June Hosta, Bobo Panicle Hydrangea, Virginia Bluebells,
 
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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 : 04/13 - 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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