Slough Grass vs Beaked Sedge - TreeTime.ca

Slough Grass vs Beaked Sedge

Beckmannia syzigachne

Carex utriculata

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Slough Grass
Beaked Sedge

Slough Grass is a hardy grass that will happily grow in any wet soil. It is usually found near water and is common haymaking material or forage.

Slough Grass is also useful for erosion control and land reclamation.

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.

Slough Grass Quick Facts

Beaked Sedge Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 1b
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 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: none


Foliage: thin, tubular
Flowers: yellowish, green
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


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