Carex cephalospora, commonly known as Capitate Sedge, is a native perennial sedge found in wet meadows, prairies, and along streambanks throughout Illinois. It thrives in moist to wet soils and prefers full sun to partial shade.
This plant features slender, arching leaves and produces distinctive, rounded seed heads in late spring to early summer. The seeds provide an important food source for birds, while its dense growth helps stabilize soil and prevent erosion in wetland areas.
For Illinois native plant enthusiasts, Carex cephalospora is an excellent choice for rain gardens, wetland restorations, and naturalized landscapes, offering ecological benefits, wildlife support, and low-maintenance greenery.
Carex cephalospora, commonly known as Capitate Sedge, is a native perennial sedge found in wet meadows, prairies, and along streambanks throughout Illinois. It thrives in moist to wet soils and prefers full sun to partial shade.
This plant features slender, arching leaves and produces distinctive, rounded seed heads in late spring to early summer. The seeds provide an important food source for birds, while its dense growth helps stabilize soil and prevent erosion in wetland areas.
For Illinois native plant enthusiasts, Carex cephalospora is an excellent choice for rain gardens, wetland restorations, and naturalized landscapes, offering ecological benefits, wildlife support, and low-maintenance greenery.
Bloom: mid-spring to early summer
Habitats: abandoned fields; grassy roadsides; lawns; pastures; rocky or sandy meadows in wooded areas; rocky wooded slopes; thin upland woodlands and savannas; vacant lots; woodland borders (particularly where there is occasional mowing)
Lifespan: perennial
Moisture: more or less mesic conditions
Plant type (height): sedge (1 to 2 feet)
Requirements: full sun
Soil: clay-loam; loam; rocky material; sand
