Carex leporina, commonly known as Oval Sedge in the British Isles and Eggbract Sedge in North America, is a perennial herbaceous plant native to a wide range of habitats including meadows, open woodlands, and wetland margins across Eurasia and eastern and western North America. It typically grows to a height of 10-60 cm (4-24 inches), with a clumping habit that forms dense tufts. The plant features narrow, grass-like leaves and inconspicuous greenish-brown flowers that appear in late spring to early summer. While the flowers are not showy, they are interesting upon close inspection, with egg-shaped bracts that give the plant its common name.

Oval Sedge is valued for its ability to thrive in a variety of conditions, from moist to wet soils, and for its use in naturalistic plantings, rain gardens, and as a ground cover in wet areas. It prefers full sun to part shade and can tolerate a range of soil types, provided they are not too dry. Gardeners often use it for erosion control due to its dense root system. However, it can be potentially invasive outside its native range, so caution is advised when planting it in areas where it may spread aggressively. It is also susceptible to rust and leaf spot diseases.CC BY-SA 4.0