Bottlebrush Sedge, Carex comosa

Bottlebrush Sedge

Carex comosa

Benefits: Pollinator Benefit Graphic
Sun Shade: Plant Light Requirements Graphic
Bloom Time: Late spring/Early Summer
Hardiness Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Soil Conditions: Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Moisture: Wet, Moist
Color: Green
Fragrance: No
Height: 2-4 feet
Spacing: 2 feet

 Description
Bottlebrush Sedge, Carex comosa, is a large tufted wetland sedge. The narrow leaves are lime green and shiny. In late spring triangular culms rise above the foliage to 5feet bearing large chartreuse bottlebrush shaped spikes. Attractive warm brown seed spikes follow. This bold sedge flourishes in sun or part sun in damp or wet sites. Plants prosper in difficult wet mucky soils or even in shallow water.

Plants are indigenous to swamps, seeps, freshwater tidal marshes, bogs, pond and lake margins, wet meadows and ditches.

Bottlebrush Sedge is a vigorous clump forming sedge with a fountain like habit. The arching glossy leaves are about 18-36 inches long, almost ¾-inch wide and folded into a triangular or keel shape. In late spring sharply angular culms rise above the basal foliage. The fertile culms produce leaves, several bristly dangling pistillate flower spikelets and a terminal staminate spikelet. The pistillate spikelets are unique and showy because of their large size, vivid green color and bristly or bottlebrush vestiture. The surface characteristics are due to distinctive curved teeth on the plump perigynia sacs that enclose the female flower parts. Mature seed heads are attractive and light brown with distinct bristly appendages on the perigynia that now encloses the seeds.

 Plant Notes and Herbal Uses
  Caterpillar host plant to Skipper butterflies.
  Plants provide erosion control.
  Deer resistant.
 Further Information

 Wisconsin Fruit Trees
 Wisconsin Edible Berry Shrubs
 Widsconsin Edible Plants-Eat On The Wild Side
 8 Dandelion Recipes
 Wisconsin Native Plant Nurseries

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