Thicket Sedge
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(Carex abscondita)
Thicket Sedge (Carex abscondita)
/
Zihao Wang
CC BY 4.0
Image By:
Zihao Wang
Recorded By:
Copyright:
CC BY 4.0
Copyright Notice:
Photo by: Zihao Wang | License Type: CC BY 4.0 | License URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Rights Holder: Zihao Wang | Publisher: iNaturalist | Date Created: 2018-06-19T13:44:17-07:00 |
Summary
Carex abscondita, commonly known as Thicket Sedge, is a perennial graminoid native to moist, shaded areas within deciduous forests, shrublands, and swamps across the central and eastern United States, from eastern Texas to southern Missouri, east to the Atlantic coast, and north to New Hampshire. It typically grows up to 26 inches tall, featuring triangular stems with reddish bases and narrow, grass-like leaves. The Thicket Sedge is distinguishable from its close relative, Carex digitalis, by its shorter flowering stems relative to the leaves and narrower staminate spikes. It produces inconspicuous greenish-brown flowers in late spring to early summer.
Thicket Sedge is valued for its ability to thrive in wet conditions and is often used in rain gardens, wetland restoration projects, and naturalized areas to maintain biodiversity and soil stability. It prefers partial to full shade and consistently moist to wet soils, making it suitable for challenging garden spots where other plants might struggle. Carex abscondita is relatively low-maintenance, but gardeners should be aware that it can spread and form dense colonies, potentially outcompeting other plants in small spaces.CC BY-SA 4.0
Thicket Sedge is valued for its ability to thrive in wet conditions and is often used in rain gardens, wetland restoration projects, and naturalized areas to maintain biodiversity and soil stability. It prefers partial to full shade and consistently moist to wet soils, making it suitable for challenging garden spots where other plants might struggle. Carex abscondita is relatively low-maintenance, but gardeners should be aware that it can spread and form dense colonies, potentially outcompeting other plants in small spaces.CC BY-SA 4.0
Plant Description
- Plant Type: Grass
- Height: 1-2 feet
- Width: 1-3 feet
- Growth Rate: Slow
- Flower Color: N/A
- Flowering Season: Spring, Summer
- Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Growth Requirements
- Sun: Part Shade, Full Shade
- Drainage: Medium, Slow
Common Uses
Erosion Control, Low Maintenance, Water Garden
Natural Habitat
Moist, shaded areas within deciduous forests, shrublands, and swamps
Other Names
Common Names: Hidden Sedge
Scientific Names: Carex abscondita, Carex abscondita var. abscondita, Carex abscondita var. glauca, Carex abscondita var. rostellata, Carex digitalis var. glauca, Carex magnifolia, Carex ptychocarpa, Carex ptychocarpa var. macrophylla
GBIF Accepted Name: Carex abscondita