Tussock SedgeCarex stricta
a.k.a. Upright Sedge
A slender, 1-3 ft. grass-like plant with a cluster of brown seed capsules clinging high on the stem. Stems bearing greenish or brownish spikes of inconspicuous flowers above dense tufts of grass-like leaves. Green leaves are exceeded by the stem in height. Forms large tufts or hummocks to 3 ft. wide. The easiest way to recognize this sedge is by its distinctive, elevated tussocks (dense tufts) in open wet areas. It grows abundantly, often in seasonally flooded sites.
USDA symbol: CAST8
General Information
| Plant Type | Grass |
|---|---|
| Height | 1 to 3 feet |
| Light Exposure | Sun |
| Soil Moisture | Medium, Wet |
| Bloom Color | Green, Brown |
Tolerances
| Flooding / Inundation Tolerance | Very High |
|---|---|
| General Resilience | 7 |
| Salt Tolerance | None |
| Stress Tolerance | Acidic Conditions, General Disturbance |
Pollinator Value: Medium
| Bloom Months | June |
|---|---|
| Larval Host of | Butterflies, Moths |
| Specific Pollinators Hosted | Cisseps fulvicollis, Euphyes conspicua, Poanes massasoit |
Project Planning
| Project Type | Boulevard, Rain Garden, Restoration, Shoreline Buffer |
|---|---|
| Coefficient of Conservatism | 6 |
| Herbivore Sensitivity | Medium |
| Lifespan | Perennial |
| Rate of Spread | Slow |
| Soil Stabilization | Shallow |
| Vegetative Reproduction | Clonal |
Range
| County | Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cook, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Koochiching, Lac qui Parle, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nobles, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Roseau, Sherburne, Sibley, St. Louis, Stearns, Steele, Swift, Todd, Wabasha, Wadena, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Winona, Wright, Yellow Medicine |
|---|---|
| Ecoregion | Driftless Area, Lake Agassiz Plain, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Glaciated Plains, Northern Lakes and Forests, Northern Minnesota Wetlands, Western Cornbelt Plains |
| Approximate Eco Province | Eastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands |