Carex grayi, or Bur Sedge, is a beautiful ornamental sedge found growing in low-lying areas near rivers, ponds, and bottomland forests. Enjoy this unique sedge in a water feature, pond margin, or in a container with other moisture-loving plants …
Carex grayi, or Bur Sedge, is a beautiful ornamental sedge found growing in low-lying areas near rivers, ponds, and bottomland forests. Enjoy this unique sedge in a water feature, pond margin, or in a container with other moisture-loving plants. Clump-forming, Bur Sedge can reach heights of three feet in bloom, when it produces its pale green spiked flowers. The remarkable star-like seed heads persist into autumn and winter for extended seasonal interest.
Bur Sedge prefers moist soil, and light shade or part sun. It spreads slowly to form an attractive bunch in medium to wet soils. Occassional flooding is tolerated, making it suitable for rain gardens, or bioswales. The inflated seed heads are able to float on the water for distribution to new areas for germination – or to be consumed by wildlife. In wet wooded areas the unique seeds are eaten by birds such as Ruffed Grouse, Wild Turkey, Wood Duck and Woodcock. A host plant for several small moths and the Appalachian Brown butterfly (Satyrodes appalachia) – this is great sedge species for water and/or wildlife gardens.
Carex grayi was named for a leading American botanist Asa Gray (1810-1888). His extraordinary botanical collection was the foundational material for the Gray Herbarium at Harvard University.
Planting and Cultivation Notes
Plants should not be allowed to dry out. If planted in full sun, make sure the soil stays moist.
Native plants can be grown outside of their native range in the appropriate growing conditions. This map shows the native range, as well as the introduced range, of this species.
Plant Shipping Rates: for plant orders up to $50 the shipping amount is $9.95. For plant orders from $50.01 and over, the shipping rate is 20% of the total plant cost.
Fall plant-shipping begins on September 9, 2024. The last day to order your plants for fall shipment is September 29.
During checkout, you will be asked to choose a Shipping Week for your plant delivery, from the dates that are available. The week that you choose will be included in your order confirmation email. When your plants ship you will receive an email that includes your tracking information.
