With its dense foliage and proficient seed production, Wood's Sedge is a valuable plant for wildlife, providing food and shelter for birds and small mammals. Game birds, shorebirds and waterfowl all feed on the seeds, and birds and caterpillars eat the foliage.
Wood's Sedge is the No. 1 Top Performer in the Mt. Cuba Center's research on sedges. Wood's Sedge performed particularly well in the "mowing evaluation" -- developing a dense mat and appropriate as a lawn substitute.
Wood's Sedge often is compared to the popular Pennsylvania Sedge in that they both have graceful, grass-like foliage.
Wood's is "superior," according to Mt. Cuba, because it forms a denser mat and is better at suppressing weeds.
"As a bonus," Mt. Cuba continues, "from April through early May, carpets of straw-colored flowers create an eye-catching display and provide the perfect complement to other spring wildflowers."
Wood's Sedge
- Latin: Carex woodii
- Height: 6 to 12 inches high and wide
- Light: Dappled sun to full shade; adaptable to full sun
- Soil: Moist
- Bloom: Yellow-green/purplish spikes
- Foliage: Blue-green to green
- Landscape: Ground cover, specimen, border, lawn substitute
- Resistance: Deer, heavy shade
- Native range here