Creek Sedge (Carex amphibola)
Creek Sedge (Carex amphibola), Hardy, eastern North American perennial sedgeDescription: Fountain-shaped mounds of narrow, shiny green foliage; green seed clusters emerge in late spring; semi-evergreen in warmer zonesHabit: Grows 8-12 inches high and wide; clump-forming and vigorousCulture: Prefers partial to full shade and moist to wet soil; tolerates full sun if not allowed to dry outHardiness: Cold hardy to USDA Zone 3Origin: Eastern North AmericaAttributes: Attracts butterflies; Deer resistant; Rain Garden; GroundcoverSedges are an immense genus that exists worldwide and many native and introduced species now grow throughout North America. First named by German botanist Ernst Gottlieb von Steudel in his work on grasses, Synopsis Plantarum Glumacearum (1855), Creek Sedge has a broad native range from Ontario south to Georgia and west to Texas. This ornamental sedge thrives along waterways, in deciduous woodlands and rain gardens, and helps to stabilize sloped ground. Deer avoid this plant, but it is a food and host plant for some skipper species of butterflies and turtles eat the seeds.