Lake Sedge
(Carex lacustris)
Lake Sedge (Carex lacustris)
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Owen Strickland
CC BY 4.0
Image By:
Owen Strickland
Recorded By:
Copyright:
CC BY 4.0
Copyright Notice:
Photo by: Owen Strickland | License Type: CC BY 4.0 | License URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Rights Holder: Owen Strickland | Publisher: iNaturalist | Date Created: 2021-06-27T13:21:31-07:00 |
Estimated Native Range
Summary
Carex lacustris, commonly known as Lake Sedge, is a semi-deciduous perennial grass native to marshes, wet meadows, and shorelines of lakes and streams in the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada. It forms dense clumps reaching 50–150 cm (1.6–4.9 ft) in height. The foliage is characterized by grayish-blue to dark green leaf blades that are 8–20 mm wide, coarse in texture, and often as long or longer than the stems, with a distinctive M-shaped cross-section. Lake Sedge produces flowers in the form of spikes or spikelets, which are elongated, tightly-packed inflorescences containing many small florets, though they are not particularly showy. This plant is an important food source for waterfowl and songbirds that feed on its seeds, and it also supports butterflies.
Lake Sedge is valued for its ability to thrive in wet conditions and is often used in riparian plantings, wetland restoration, and as a naturalizing element in water gardens. It is also appreciated for its wildlife benefits and textural contrast in landscape designs. Cultivation requires consistently moist to wet soils, such as muck, sedge peat, wet sand, or silt, and it can tolerate both filtered sunlight and full sun. Seeds require cold, moist stratification for successful germination, with optimal storage conditions being wet, dark, and cold (4 °C). A controlled germination environment should have a cyclic diurnal temperature variation between 20 °C and 25 °C. Lake Sedge is generally low-maintenance but may spread vigorously in ideal wetland conditions, potentially becoming aggressive in garden settings.CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake Sedge is valued for its ability to thrive in wet conditions and is often used in riparian plantings, wetland restoration, and as a naturalizing element in water gardens. It is also appreciated for its wildlife benefits and textural contrast in landscape designs. Cultivation requires consistently moist to wet soils, such as muck, sedge peat, wet sand, or silt, and it can tolerate both filtered sunlight and full sun. Seeds require cold, moist stratification for successful germination, with optimal storage conditions being wet, dark, and cold (4 °C). A controlled germination environment should have a cyclic diurnal temperature variation between 20 °C and 25 °C. Lake Sedge is generally low-maintenance but may spread vigorously in ideal wetland conditions, potentially becoming aggressive in garden settings.CC BY-SA 4.0
Plant Description
- Plant Type: Grass, Herb
- Height: 1-5 feet
- Width: 2-3 feet
- Growth Rate: Rapid
- Flower Color: N/A
- Flowering Season: Spring
- Leaf Retention: Semi-Deciduous
Growth Requirements
- Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
- Water: High
- Drainage: Medium, Slow
Common Uses
Bird Garden, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Erosion Control, Low Maintenance, Water Garden
Natural Habitat
Marshes, wet meadows, and shorelines of lakes and streams in the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada
Other Names
Common Names: Lakebank Sedge, Hairy Sedge
Scientific Names: , Carex lacustris, Carex riparia var. lacustris, Carex lacustris var. lacustris, Anithista lacustris, Anithista riparia,
GBIF Accepted Name: Carex lacustris Willd.