Beaked Sedge vs Bluebunch Wheatgrass - TreeTime.ca

Beaked Sedge vs Bluebunch Wheatgrass

Carex utriculata

Pseudoroegneria spicata

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Beaked Sedge
Bluebunch Wheatgrass

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.

Bluebunch Wheatgrass is a native perennial bunchgrass common across prairies, foothills, and open woodlands. It has a long life span, unlike many other grasses.
This grass competes well with invasive species, has extensive root systems and is drought tolerant. It provides forage for deer, elk, bighorn sheep, and is extremely palatable by livestock. Its seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals, while its dense clumps offer nesting and shelter.

Beaked Sedge Quick Facts

Bluebunch Wheatgrass Quick Facts

Zone: 1b
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Spreading: tillering - high, seeds - medium


Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


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