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Gray Sedge
Carex grayi

Carex grayi is a slow-spreading, colony-forming sedge that does well in rain gardens and can tolerate occasional flooding. It can do well in both sun and shade.

USDA symbol: CAGR5

General Information

Plant TypeGrass
Height3 feet
Light ExposureSun, Part Sun, Shade
Soil MoistureMedium, Wet
Bloom ColorGreen
Gray Sedge (Gray Sedge<div><em class="small">Carex grayi</em></div>)
Photo credit: Minnesota Wildflowers (Click to enlarge)

Tolerances

Flooding / Inundation ToleranceHigh
General Resilience6
Salt ToleranceNone
Stress ToleranceFire Tolerant

Pollinator Value: Low

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

Project Planning

Project TypeErosion Control, Rain Garden, Restoration, Shoreline Buffer
Coefficient of Conservatism9
Herbivore SensitivityLow
LifespanPerennial
Rate of SpreadSlow
Soil StabilizationShallow
Vegetative ReproductionClonal

Range

CountyFaribault, Goodhue, Houston, Mille Lacs, Mower, Rice, Wabasha, Winona
EcoregionDriftless Area, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Lakes and Forests, Western Cornbelt Plains
Approximate Eco ProvinceEastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland