Cherokee sedge is a native herbaceous perennial in the sedge family (Cyperaceae) that is usually found growing along the edges of woodlands in moist sites from North Carolina south to Florida and west to Texas. The species epithet means “of [a place called] Cherokee,” but which Cherokee (there are many geographic areas, counties and townships with that name in the Southeast) was not specified by the author. This sedge will grow one to two feet tall with a similar spread and prefers partial sun to shade and moist to wet soil, but it is adaptable to full sun and average garden soils if irrigated during dry spells. Sedges should never be cut down to the ground, but dead leaves may be removed in spring by combing your fingers through the foliage. Propagation is by seed or division. Cherokee sedge blooms in spring and is followed by attractive, drooping seedheads. The arching evergreen to semi-evergreen grass-like foliage is attractive all season. It is a tough plant that is resistant to heat, wet soil and browsing by deer. It slowly increases its clump size over time by rhizomes, making it a well-behaved sedge to use in perennial gardens. Its diminutive size makes it ideal as a front-of-border planting or tucked into any small garden space. Mass plant it as a groundcover, for erosion control or lawn replacement. Use it for edging along a walkway or to add a fine airy accent around ponds, bogs and stream banks. It can also be used in rain gardens and woodland gardens. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. More information on Carex .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Ground Cover; Herbaceous Perennial; Native Plant; Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasional Flooding | Occasionally Wet
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 6 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Clumping; Spreading
Texture
Fine
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Sheath; Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate; Other/more complex
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Slender deep green glossy grass-like leaves with parallel veins are arching and 16 inches long by 1/4 inch wide.
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Green
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Spike
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Grass-like greenish flower is produced in mid-spring in several, drooping pistillate spikes that mature to brown and resemble wheat.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit detail
2 inch long wheat-like greenish seed heads in spring to early summer.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Flexible green stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
SE and central USA
Distribution
AL , AR , FL , GA , KY , LA , MO , MS , NC , OK , SC , TN , TX , VA
Wildlife value
Provides cover for small animals like toads and nesting material for birds. This plant also supports various Satyr larvae.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators; Songbirds
Play value
Defines Paths; Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Achene
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn; Meadow; Naturalized Area; Pond; Riparian; Small Space; Walkways; Woodland