Carex grayi, also known as Gray’s Sedge or Mace Sedge, is a striking native known for its unusual star shaped seed heads and strong upright presence in moist to wet soils. Adds textural interest to rain gardens, pond margins, and shaded lowlands where its clumping habit provides structure and habitat value throughout the growing season.
Height & Spread: 18 - 24 in x 12 - 18 in
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
Light Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Soil Preference: Moist to wet soils, tolerant of seasonal flooding
Watering Needs: High moisture; thrives in damp conditions
Deer Resistance: Unpalatable to deer due to fibrous foliage texture
Native Status
Carex grayi is native to eastern and central North America. It is commonly found in low woods, swamps, and wet meadows where it supports diverse ecosystems and offers excellent stormwater filtration value.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Birds
- Provides shelter and nesting cover for songbirds which may also forage seeds during fall and winter.
Butterflies
- Serves as a larval host for butterflies such as Appalachian Brown and Eyed Brown especially in damp shaded sites.
Beneficial Insects
- Dense clumps attract predatory beetles and beneficial spiders that help manage pest populations in wetland gardens.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations:
- Space 18 - 24 in apart to allow for clump spread and airflow in wet settings.
Landscape Placement:
- Ideal for rain gardens, bog margins, or as an accent grass in naturalized planting schemes needing soil stabilization.
Companion Plants
- Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant) - Vertical habit and late blooms extend interest while complementing the Carex’s foliage.
- Lobelia siphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia) - Upright spikes of deep blue flowers echo the sedge's form while thriving in wet soils.
- Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) - Supports pollinators and thrives in the same moist environments.
- Caltha palustris (Marsh Marigold) - Cheerful yellow blooms rise from wet soils in spring alongside the green maces of Carex grayi.
- Iris versicolor (Blue Flag Iris) - Tall violet-blue flowers contrast with the architectural structure of Carex.