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Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica

a.k.a. Penn sedge

One of the most common sedges in Minnesota, Penn sedge is one of the first woodland plants to bloom in the spring. It grows in clump-forming colonies and spreads by rhizomes.

USDA symbol: CAPE6

General Information

Plant TypeGrass
Height6 to 18 inches
Light ExposureShade
Soil MoistureDry, Medium
Bloom ColorWhite, Red, Green
Pennsylvania Sedge (Pennsylvania Sedge<div><em class="small">Carex pensylvanica</em></div>)
Photo credit: Light Dark Landscape (Click to enlarge)

Tolerances

Flooding / Inundation ToleranceLow
General Resilience6
Salt ToleranceMedium
Stress ToleranceDrought Tolerant, General Disturbance

Pollinator Value: Low

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

Project Planning

Project TypeBoulevard, Rain Garden
Coefficient of Conservatism4
Herbivore SensitivityLow
LifespanPerennial
Rate of SpreadFast
Soil StabilizationShallow
Vegetative ReproductionClonal

Range

CountyAitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Grant, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Koochiching, Lac qui Parle, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Roseau, Sherburne, Sibley, St. Louis, Stearns, Steele, Swift, Todd, Wabasha, Wadena, Waseca, Washington, Winona, Wright
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