Grasses/Sedges/Rushes

A.k.a. turkeyfoot. A tall, adaptable prairie grass that hosts a wide variety of insects, including many skippers. Favored by a wide variety of graz...

A.k.a. turkeyfoot. A tall, adaptable prairie grass that hosts a wide variety of insects, including many skippers. Favored by a wide variety of graz...

This hardy grass grows quickly and spreads easily from seed, making it an excellent candidate to fill space in new plantings while slower growing s...

A.k.a. red-based spike-rush. An adaptable, mat forming rush with a broad range. It’s small stature and dense growth make it an ideal species to pla...

A wetland sedge that tolerates occasional standing water. Requires constant moisture when growing in full sun. Light: Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade Soil...

A taller rush that is visibly darker in color than other local rushes. Perfect for adding visual interest to wetland plantings, filling ditches, an...

A.k.a. troublesome sedge. This hardy sedge is closely related to, and difficult to distinguish from, prairie oval sedge (Carex bicknellii) and plai...

A robust, adaptable sedge with a clumped form that makes it ideal for landscape borders. Spreads well in disturbed habitats, so is well suited for ...

A shorter, unassuming sedge that nevertheless feeds many species of birds and insects. Tends to spread by rhizomes and form small colonies. Light: ...

This standup grass is often planted for winter interest, as its tall seed stalks that remain upright longer into the winter than big bluestem. The ...

A shorter grass that is often planted for it’s spikey seed heads, and generally does not form dense stands. Puts on growth earlier than most prairi...

The cornerstone of dry shortgrass plantings itself! Stays short, but fills dry plantings well. Adapts to most soil textures, but will not tolerate ...

The cornerstone of dry shortgrass plantings itself! Stays short, but fills dry plantings well. Adapts to most soil textures, but will not tolerate ...

A.k.a. Pennsylvania sedge. A short sedge coveted for its ability to form colonies in shady and dry conditions! Primarily spreads by running, but ma...

A.k.a. muskingum sedge*. A distinctive, showy, fairly tall sedge that hosts several species of moth, butterfly, and skipper! Prefers part sun/shade...

A.k.a. Short-beaked sedge. This bunching sedge is closely related to, and difficult to distinguish from, prairie oval sedge (Carex bicknellii) and ...

A smaller wetland sedge named for the prickly appearance of its seed heads. Very similar in appearance to other “bottlebrush sedges” such that iden...

A beautifully clumping short grass with fine, sprawling leaves. Very rarely reseeds even in garden beds, making it a prime grass for landscaping. F...

A beautifully clumping short grass with fine, sprawling leaves. Very rarely reseeds even in garden beds, making it a prime grass for landscaping. F...

A.k.a. Bicknell’s sedge and copper-shouldered oval sedge. A shorter sedge that prefers dryer soils. An excellent shorter sedge for shortgrass prair...

A.k.a. nodding bulrush. A comparatively adaptable rush that will tolerate mesic conditions, recognizable by its flat, grass like leaves and droopin...

A wetland sedge that puts on obvious brown spikelets. It’s bunching habit and mildly contrasting foliage color makes it showy to some extent and ex...

An adaptable, drought resistant grass with a generally small stature- the seed stalk makes up most of the height. Notable for the bright color of i...

An adaptable, drought resistant grass with a generally small stature- the seed stalk makes up most of the height. Notable for the bright color of i...