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Plains Oval Sedge
Carex brevior

a.k.a. Shortbeak Sedge

Plains Oval Sedge is a versatile sedge that can grow in a variety of conditions, though it is most commonly found prairies with dry, sandy, or rocky soils. It reaches a height of 2' and shows prickly oval spikes which turn golden-brown in the fall.

USDA symbol: CABR10

General Information

Plant TypeGrass
Height1 to 3 feet
Light ExposureSun, Part Sun
Soil MoistureDry, Medium, Wet
Bloom ColorWhite, Green, Brown
Plains Oval Sedge (Plains Oval Sedge<div><em class="small">Carex brevior</em></div>)
Photo credit: Metro Blooms (Click to enlarge)

Tolerances

Flooding / Inundation ToleranceHigh
General Resilience7
Salt ToleranceNone
Stress ToleranceDrought Tolerant, Fire Tolerant

Pollinator Value: Low

Bloom MonthsMay to July
Larval Host ofButterflies
Specific Pollinators HostedNumerous butterfly species

Project Planning

Project TypeErosion Control, Rain Garden, Restoration, Shoreline Buffer
Coefficient of Conservatism4
Herbivore SensitivityLow
LifespanPerennial
Rate of SpreadMedium
Soil StabilizationShallow
Vegetative ReproductionClonal

Range

CountyAnoka, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Cook, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Itasca, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Lake, Lincoln, Lyon, Marshall, Martin, Meeker, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nobles, Norman, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Rice, Rock, Sherburne, St. Louis, Stearns, Steele, Traverse, Wabasha, Wadena, Washington, Watonwan, Winona, Wright, Yellow Medicine
EcoregionDriftless Area, Lake Agassiz Plain, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Glaciated Plains, Northern Lakes and Forests, Northern Minnesota Wetlands, Western Cornbelt Plains
Approximate Eco ProvinceEastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands