Carex lanuginosa
Carex lanuginosa
Last reviewed: September 2026
Carex lanuginosa is a perennial grass native to CA, CT, IA, ID and 17 more states. It blooms in May and June. The flowers draw wind-pollinated.
Toxicity unknown
Carex lanuginosa is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
part sun
Water
high
Size
12"–30" H × 18"–36" W
Bloom
May, Jun
Native to
CA, CT, IA, ID and 17 more states
Pollinators
wind-pollinated
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 458 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaBrowse plants for this ecoregion
A rhizomatous sedge called woolly sedge, with narrow gray-green blades that spreads to form colonies along wet meadows and marsh edges. Its spreading rhizomes make it better suited to naturalized wet areas than a tidy bed.
Growing Carex lanuginosa
Grow Carex lanuginosa in part sun and high water. Mature plants reach 12 to 30 inches tall and spread 18 to 36 inches wide.
Wildlife value
Provides nesting cover for marsh birds and forage for waterfowl in wet meadow habitat.
Common questions
- How much sun does Carex lanuginosa need?
- Carex lanuginosa grows best in part sun conditions.
- When does Carex lanuginosa bloom?
- Carex lanuginosa blooms in May and June.
- Where is Carex lanuginosa native?
- Carex lanuginosa is native to CA, CT, IA, ID and 17 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- What pollinators does Carex lanuginosa attract?
- Carex lanuginosa draws wind-pollinated.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Carex lanuginosa? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.