Gray’s Sedge, PA Ecotype

Carex grayi (Gray’s Sedge) is an erect-growing, clump-forming native perennial sedge that can grow to a height of 3 ft. Seedheads of Gray Sedge form as dense clusters near the tip of the flowering stem in a manner that resembles the medieval period morning star mace. Carex grayi has the largest achenes (seeds) of any of our sedges, and its perigynia (sack containing the achenes) are among the largest sedges grown by Ernst Seeds. The perigynia of Gray Sedge float on water where they may be readily eaten by waterfowl. Regarding light and moisture tolerances, we have found Carex grayi to be a versatile species. We collected a portion of our Gray Sedge parent stock from a woodland floodplain with saturated soil and dappled light at best. In a nearby watershed, we have observed large populations of Carex grayi growing in well-drained soils of a floodplain in full sun. As we have not observed evidence of deer browsing in our production fields, we believe Gray Sedge to be deer resistant. Deer resistance and the ability to tolerate various light and moisture conditions makes Carex grayi a good addition to wetland, wet meadow, and rain garden plantings. With its mace-like seedheads, Gray Sedge is our most ornamental sedge species, adding visual texture to the landscape. We have had a customer successfully establish Carex Grayi as an ornamental grass in their mesiic to wet yard. When growing Gray Sedge for transplants, you should allocate four months for seed stratification. To stratify Carex grayi, put the seed into tap water in a refrigerator. Over time, the tap water will turn brown due to the leaching of tannins from the seeds. Tannins act as a germination inhibitor. For that reason, change the water weekly to monthly. Following stratification, it may be helpful to soak the seeds of Gray Sedge in 130 degrees Fahrenheit water for 30 minutes. A member of the sedge (Cyperaceae) family, Gray Sedge’s genus name means “cutter”, a reference to the sharp stems or leaf edges of this genus. The species name grayi honors botanist Asa Gray.