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Carex sylvatica - Huds.

Common Name Wood sedge
Family Cyperaceae
USDA hardiness 3-8
Known Hazards None Known
Habitats Deciduous woodlands on heavy soils; Sometimes found in unwooded areas.
Range Europe, Asia, and far east to Iran.Introduced to North America, and New Zealand.
Edibility Rating    (0 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Wet Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Carex sylvatica Wood sedge


Carex sylvatica Wood sedge
Aroche wikimedia.org

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Carex sylvatica is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. The flowers are pollinated by Wind, Insects.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
Suitable for: medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

C. drymeia L.f. C. emarcida Suter C. laxula Tineo ex Boott. C. loncholepis Less. ex Meinsh. C. patula Scop. C. psilostachya Kit. ex Willd. C. strigosa Willd. ex Kunth [Illegitimate]. C. sylvatica f. gracilis Celak. C. sylvatica f. laxula (Tineo ex Boott) Kük. C. sylvatica var. laxula (Tineo ex Boott) Nyman. C. sylvatica subsp. laxula (Tineo ex Boott) K.Richt. C. sylvatica f. pumila Fiek ex Uechtr. C. sylvatica subsp. sylvatica. C. sylvatica var. tommasinii Rchb. Edritria sylvatica (Huds.) Raf. Proteocarpus sylvaticus (Huds.) Fedde & J.Schust. Trasus sylvaticus (Huds.) Gray.

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

None known

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None Known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

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Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

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PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

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Other Uses

Insulation

A good evergreen ground cover supplying winter interest. Can be used on slope or Banks. Good in containers. Can make a good edging plant. Deer resistant and shade tolerant. Recommended as a groundcover under trees and shrubs. Wildlife Habitat - provides cover for small wildlife. Fiber. C. sylvatica was used as wadding in order to retain heat by Laplanders (English Botany. Sowerby and Smith, 1802). Ornamental [318-1].

Special Uses

Attracts Wildlife  Food Forest  Ground Cover

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

C. sylvatica is a clump-forming, log-lived, evergreen to semi-evergreen perennial 0.15m to 0.6m (6 inches - 24 inches) high and a spread of 0.15m to 0.6m (6 inches - 24 inches). It has a moderate Growth Rate. It prefers sun to partial shade and loamy to clay soil. Soil moisture is wet, to moderate and soil pH: 5.8 - 7.0. it is drought intolerant. There are a few distinct subspecies. It can be evergreen or deciduous. Non-mycorrhizal. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is rhizomatous with underground stems sending roots and shoots along their length.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Propagate by plant division in spring or seeding in the fall.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Wood-sedge, Sedge, European woodland sedge.

Native Range

Coming Soon

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

None Known

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Not Listed.

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Carex acutiformisSwamp Sedge, Lesser pond sedgePerennial0.8 0-0  LMHSNMWe10 
Carex aquatilisWater sedge, Sitka sedgePerennial1.0 3-7  LMHSNMWe10 
Carex arenariaSand SedgePerennial0.5 6-9 FLMSNDM222
Carex brizoides Perennial0.0 -  LMHSNMWe101
Carex buxbaumiiBuxbaum's sedgePerennial0.6 0-0  LMHSNMWe101
Carex dispalata Perennial0.0 -  LMHSNMWe101
Carex distichaTworank sedgePerennial0.5 4-8  LMHSNMWe101
Carex eburneaBristleleaf sedgePerennial0.3 2-8 SLMHFSDM003
Carex elataTufted Sedge, Golden Variegated Sedge, Tufted SedgePerennial1.2 5-9 MLMHSNMWe203
Carex hachijoensisJapanese sedgePerennial0.3 5-9 MLMHFSM003
Carex hirtaHammer sedgePerennial0.5 5-9  LMHSNMWe111
Carex kobomugiJapanese sedgePerennial0.2 6-8  LMHSNMWe102
Carex macrocephalaLargehead sedgePerennial0.2 0-0  LMHSNMWe10 
Carex meyerianaSedge, Wu la cao Perennial0.5 9-12 FLMHFSNMWe004
Carex morrowiiIwashiba, Japanese Sedge Perennial0.6 5-9 FLMHFSNM004
Carex nebrascensisNebraska sedgePerennial0.5 0-0  LMHSNM00 
Carex nubigena Perennial0.0 -  LMHSNMWe11 
Carex paniculata Perennial1.5 6-9  LMHSNMWe101
Carex pensylvanicaPennsylvania sedgePerennial0.3 4-8 MLMHFSNDM003
Carex ripariaGreat Pond SedgePerennial1.5 5-9 FLMHSNMWe101
Carex rostrataBeaded Sedge, Beaked sedgePerennial1.0 0-0  LMHSNMWe101
Carex utriculataSedge, Northwest territory sedgePerennial1.2 0-0  LMHSNWeWa20 

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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