Carex vaginata, commonly known as Sheathed Sedge, is a perennial herbaceous plant native to cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including North America, Europe, and Asia. It is typically found in moist to wet habitats such as wet meadows, marshes, stream banks, and forest openings, often on clay or loamy soils. Sheathed Sedge grows moderately to a height and width of 0.5-1.5 feet (0.15-0.5 meters), forming dense clumps of narrow, grass-like leaves. The green, inconspicuous flowers appear on spikes in the spring and summer, followed by small, brown seed capsules.

Sheathed Sedge is valued for its ability to thrive in wet conditions and is often used for soil stabilization and erosion control in wetland restoration projects. It is also suitable for rain gardens and naturalistic plantings. This sedge prefers full sun to part shade and performs best in medium draining clay or loam soils with consistent moisture. While it is generally low-maintenance, it can spread by rhizomes and may require management to keep it within bounds.CC BY-SA 4.0