Carex sylvatica, commonly known as Forest Sedge or European Woodland Sedge, is a perennial herb native to a variety of habitats including deciduous woodlands, damp and shady forest floors, and along stream banks in Europe and Western Asia. It has also naturalized in parts of North America and New Zealand. This sedge typically grows to 24 inches tall and features arching, grass-like leaves. The inflorescence consists of 3-5 pendent female spikes and a single terminal male spike, which are greenish-brown and not particularly showy, appearing in late spring to early summer.

Forest Sedge is valued for its ability to thrive in heavy, clay soils and its preference for shady conditions, making it an excellent ground cover for woodland gardens, shaded borders, or underplanting beneath trees and shrubs. It is also useful for stabilizing soil in damp areas. In cultivation, it requires consistently moist soil and can tolerate partial to full shade. While it is not aggressive, it can form dense clumps over time. Gardeners should be aware that in some conditions, it may self-seed and spread, though it is not generally considered invasive.CC BY-SA 4.0