SafePlants

Hairy Sedge (Carex hirta)

Considerations for Pets

• This plant has hairy leaves and sheaths, which might be attractive to pets but could cause minor skin irritation.

Considerations for Children

• This plant has hairy leaves and sheaths, which might be attractive to children.

Common and Scientific Names

• Scientific Name: Carex hirta
• Common Names: Hairy Sedge, Hammer Sedge, Lakebank Sedge, Common Lake Sedge

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Family: Cyperaceae (Sedge Family)
• Synonyms: Carex lacustris (Note: some sources may list this as a synonym for Hairy Sedge, while others recognize it as a distinct species.)

Distribution and Habitat

• Found across Europe.
• Grows in a wide variety of grassy places.
• Found in damp soils.
• Also found in riparian habitats.
• Specific locations mentioned include Garrett Co., Maryland.
• Olney's Hairy Sedge (Carex gynodynama) grows in central and northern California, in moist meadows and open places.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Creeping, tufted perennial plant, typically 30 to 70 cm tall.
• Roots are often much branched.
• Leaves and sheaths are characteristically hairy.
• Produces elongated inflorescences.
• Fruits are long-beaked and downy.
• Flowering occurs from April to June, and fruiting from June to September.
• Usually tufted at the base with both vegetative and fertile shoots.
• Each fertile shoot sends up a single unbranched culm.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Used in fly-dressing for fishing, specifically the "Big Hairy Sedge" (BHS) fly.

Further Information

• BioImages: The Virtual Field-Guide (UK)
• Encyclopedia of Life
• Wikimedia Commons
• TERMIUM (Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank)