Tall Manna Grass vs Beaked Sedge - TreeTime.ca

Tall Manna Grass vs Beaked Sedge

Glyceria grandis

Carex utriculata

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Tall Manna Grass
Beaked Sedge

Manna Grass and other waterside plants are an excellent way to prevent erosion and provide habitat and forage for animals. The difference is that Manna Grass looks better doing it! With distinctive purple grains at the top of its stalks, Manna Grass adds a splash of color to the waterside that most other aquatics can't offer.

Manna Grass is good for returning disturbed sites to nature and provides nourishment to many animals, except for cattle who find it toxic.

Beaked Sedge is a native perennial wetland plant that forms dense clumps of tall, grass-like stems. It produces distinctive beaked seed heads that mature from late spring into summer. The plant provides food for waterfowl, muskrats, and other wildlife, while its dense growth offers cover for birds and small mammals. Its flowers and seed structures contribute to pollinator and invertebrate habitat in aquatic ecosystems.

Thriving in saturated soils and shallow water, Beaked Sedge is common in marshes, fens, and riparian zones. Its rhizomatous growth enables it to spread into large colonies that stabilize soils and support overall wetland health. Hardy and low-maintenance once established, it is well-suited to riparian plantings, naturalization, and ecological restoration projects.

Tall Manna Grass Quick Facts

Beaked Sedge Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 1b
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: wet
Moisture: wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: medium

Toxicity: toxic to cattle

Foliage: long thin leaves
Flowers: purple
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: american manna grass, reed manna grass
Other Names: bladder sedge, bottle shaped sedge, common beaked sedge, northern beaked sedge, northwest territory sedge