Carex molesta, commonly known as Troublesome Sedge, is a native perennial sedge found in wet meadows, floodplains, and streambanks across Illinois. It thrives in moist to wet soils and prefers full sun to partial shade.
This plant features narrow, arching leaves and produces tall, loose clusters of flower spikes with greenish to brownish flowers in late spring to early summer. The seeds that follow are a food source for birds and other wildlife. Its dense growth habit helps stabilize soil and control erosion in moist, shaded environments.
For Illinois native plant enthusiasts, Carex molesta is an ideal addition to rain gardens, wetlands, and naturalized landscapes, offering ecological benefits, wildlife support, and low-maintenance greenery.
Carex molesta, commonly known as Troublesome Sedge, is a native perennial sedge found in wet meadows, floodplains, and streambanks across Illinois. It thrives in moist to wet soils and prefers full sun to partial shade.
This plant features narrow, arching leaves and produces tall, loose clusters of flower spikes with greenish to brownish flowers in late spring to early summer. The seeds that follow are a food source for birds and other wildlife. Its dense growth habit helps stabilize soil and control erosion in moist, shaded environments.
For Illinois native plant enthusiasts, Carex molesta is an ideal addition to rain gardens, wetlands, and naturalized landscapes, offering ecological benefits, wildlife support, and low-maintenance greenery.
Bloom: late spring
Habitats: abandoned fields; degraded seasonal wetlands; open woodlands; roadside ditches; swamps; thickets; wet depressions in sunny areas; wet to dry-mesic prairies
Lifespan: perennial
Moisture: wet to mesic
Plant type (height): sedge (1 to 2.5 feet)
Requirements: full sun to partial sun
Soil: clay-loam; loam
