Carex stipata

Description

Carex stipata, or Common Fox Sedge, is a sturdy, deer-resistant sedge active in the spring and fall when the soil is cool. It is found in areas with full shade or full sun and consistently moist or medium soils. Common Fox Sedge features prickly flower heads that look like bushy fox tails that turn from green to a golden brown when mature. The tiny flowers bloom from mid-spring to mid-summer. Common Fox Sedge thrives in most wet soil environments like wetlands, moist meadows, open clearings, swamps, and lake edges. The sedge is not bothered by deer visitors or other herbivores. The plant attracts insects and waterfowl, as well as many caterpillars that eat the foliage. Seeds are consumed by woodcocks, ducks, and swamp sparrows.

Carex stipata is also commonly known as Awlfruit Sedge, Awl-fruited Sedge, and Prickly Sedge.