Carex pellita, commonly known as Woolly Sedge, is a native perennial sedge found in wetlands, moist meadows, and along streambanks throughout Illinois. It thrives in wet soils and prefers full sun to partial shade.
This plant features coarse, woolly-textured leaves, which give it a distinctive appearance. It produces small, inconspicuous flower spikes in late spring to early summer, followed by seed heads that provide food for birds and wildlife. The dense root system of Carex pellita helps prevent erosion and stabilize soil in wetland habitats.
For Illinois native plant enthusiasts, Carex pellita is an excellent choice for wetland restorations, rain gardens, and naturalized landscapes, offering soil stabilization, habitat support, and distinctive foliage.
Carex pellita, commonly known as Woolly Sedge, is a native perennial sedge found in wetlands, moist meadows, and along streambanks throughout Illinois. It thrives in wet soils and prefers full sun to partial shade.
This plant features coarse, woolly-textured leaves, which give it a distinctive appearance. It produces small, inconspicuous flower spikes in late spring to early summer, followed by seed heads that provide food for birds and wildlife. The dense root system of Carex pellita helps prevent erosion and stabilize soil in wetland habitats.
For Illinois native plant enthusiasts, Carex pellita is an excellent choice for wetland restorations, rain gardens, and naturalized landscapes, offering soil stabilization, habitat support, and distinctive foliage.
Bloom: late spring to early summer
Habitats: acidic seeps and calcareous seeps; edges of poorly drained fields; openings in floodplain woodlands; prairie swales; roadside ditches; wet to moist prairies and dolomite prairies
Lifespan: perennial
Moisture: wet to moist
Plant type (height): sedge (1 to 2.5 feet)
Requirements: full sun to partial sun
Soil: gravel; loam; silt
