Carex melanocephala, commonly known as Blackhead Sedge, is a perennial herbaceous plant native to wet meadows, marshes, and the understory of moist to wet forests in North America. It typically grows at a moderate rate to a height and width of 1.5-2.5 feet (0.46-0.76 meters), forming dense clumps. The plant features grass-like leaves and brownish-green, spikelet flowers that are somewhat inconspicuous, blooming in the spring. While the flowers are not showy, the foliage provides texture to garden compositions.

Blackhead Sedge is valued for its ability to thrive in wet conditions and is often used in rain gardens, wetland restoration projects, and as a ground cover in shaded areas. It is also suitable for erosion control due to its clumping habit. In cultivation, it requires consistently moist to wet soil conditions and can tolerate standing water. It prefers full shade to part shade and grows well in medium to slow-draining loam or clay soils. While generally low-maintenance, it can be susceptible to leaf spot diseases in overly wet conditions.CC BY-SA 4.0