Graceful Wood Sedge

Carex gracillima

Introduction

Carex gracillima often called graceful wood sedge and purple-sheathed graceful sedge prefers shady to semi-shady sites with medium to medium-wet soils. As its name implies, the basal leaf sheaths have purple hues.

The leaves are dark green and arching stems dangle strings of bead-like seeds in summer. Purple-sheathed Graceful sedge actively grows during the spring and fall when soil temperatures are cool. 

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About the Plant

Graceful wood sedge is a tidy and compact plant. Growing best in shade and moist soil. It can handle standing water for short periods of time. If you need a small, well-behaved little bunch of greenery, this is a good choice. Its seed pods add interest later in the growing season.

Many people do not consider the importance of grasses and sedges for wildlife value. Birds such as wood duck, American woodcock, and wild turkey enjoy eating the seeds. Sedge grasshoppers, sedge billbug, and eyed brown butterfly caterpillars all eat the sedge. These insects are eaten by many insect loving birds like eastern bluebirds.