Image of Carex retrorsa
Source: Matt Lavin
Carex retrorsa

Plant Names

image of Grass
Carex retrorsa
Retrorse Sedge
Carex réfléchi

Plant Characteristics

Bloom Colour: Green Bloom Period: Jun - Aug
Max Height: 4.0 feet
Max Width: 2.0 feet
Light Condition:
Full sun More than 6 hours of direct sun a day
Part shade More than 2 or 3 hours but less than 6 hours of direct sun a day
Soil conditions:
Moisture medium Tolerates medium soil condition
Moisture wet Tolerates wet soil condition
Lifespan: Perennial plants that will come back year after year
Special Features and Considerations:

Seed and plant distribution status

No seeds available for this plant.
We currently accept seeds for this plant

Fun Facts

Retrorse sedge is a robust native sedge that grows in moist woodlands, wet meadows, floodplains, and along streams. It forms upright clumps of green foliage with distinctive seed clusters that are held along the flowering stems. Its substantial size and attractive texture make it especially useful in wetland plantings, and naturalized areas as it can tolerate occasional flooding. It forms substantial clumps and may slowly spread. You should give it room to develop rather than placing it in a small formal border. You can divide established clumps in spring if necessary.

Plant Location

Distribution according to VASCAN

Distribution: Carex retrorsa
Ephemeral Native Introduced Excluded Extirpated Doubtful Absent

Ecological Benefits

Harvesting and Seed Sharing

  • Harvest start month: August
  • Harvesting indicator:
    • Seeds easily fall off when you gently pull them off
  • Harvesting:
    • Use hand to detach from main stem
  • Seed viability test:
    • None
  • Packaging measure: None
  • Seed storage:
    • Air Dry in paper bag or open container, for a few days until crisp
    • Shake seeds to move them once in a while to prevent molding
  • Cultivar: No, you can donate without knowing the source as there are only straight species
  • No harvesting video available at this time.