Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Carex atherodes is a species of sedge known by the common name wheat sedge. It is native to Eurasia and much of North America including most of Canada and the United States. It is a very common wetland plant across the American Midwest and areas west. It grows in moist and wet habitat, such as marshes and moist prairie land, and it may grow in shallow water. This sedge produces triangular, hollow stems 30 to 120 centimeters tall. The leaves are hairy, especially on the lower parts, and the leaf sheath is tinted with reddish purple. The inflorescence is up to 60 centimeters long and made up of several spikes; those spikes near the tip are usually staminate, and those lower in the inflorescence are usually pistillate. The tip of each fruit has two or more long, thin teeth.

Plant type

Grass

Size

1 - 5 ft Tall

Form

Upright

Growth rate

Moderate

Calscape icon
Color

Green, Purple, Red

Flowering season

Spring

Special uses

Containers

Soil description

Prefers loamy or clay soils. Grows poorly in sandy soils.

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 1 likely

Confirmed Likely

Common Ringlet

Coenonympha tullia