Carex acutiformis
Swamp Sedge
a perennial member of the Carex genus in the family Cyperaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Cyperaceae
- Genus
- Carex
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 0.75 m
- Fertility
- Wind
- Flower type
- monoecious
- Pollinators
- Wind
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Root - cooked[3]. Seed[3]. No further details are given, but the seed is small and fiddly to use[K].
- Plant part
- Root
- Plant part
- Seed
Material uses
- Product or use
- Bedding
Environment
- Range
- Europe, Asia and N. America.
- Habitat
- Saline marshes in E. Massachusetts[5].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- high
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
- Salinity
- tolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow in situ in the spring in a moist soil in light shade. If seed is in short supply it can be sown in a cold frame and be planted out in the summer. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 6 weeks at 15°c[1]. Division in spring[4]. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or following spring.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of this country and also in saline soils. There is some doubt about the validity of this name. The original report on the plants uses is for a species called C. acutifolia. Ehrh. which is said to be native to Europe but is not in 'Flora Europaea'. We feel that this name is probably a misprint for C. acutiformis[K]. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Easily grown in a damp to wet soil in full sun or shade[2][4]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[6].
References
Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan. 1989-00-00
Grounds. R. Ornamental Grasses. Christopher Helm 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-1219-9
Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Livingstone. B. Flora of Canada National Museums of Canada 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-660-00025-3
Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5