Beaked Sedge vs Blue Grama Grass - TreeTime.ca

Beaked Sedge vs Blue Grama Grass

Bouteloua gracilis

Carex utriculata

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Blue Grama Grass
Beaked Sedge

Blue Grama is a native perennial bunchgrass recognized for its blue-green blades and unique seed heads. They grow along one side of the stem and are often compared to eyelashes, eyebrows, or mosquito larvae, which inspired its common names, Eyelash Grass and Mosquito Grass. As the seed heads begin to dry in the fall, they curl, further enhancing the plant’s distinctive appearance. The seeds provide food for birds, and the grass serves as a host plant for certain species of skipper butterflies.

As a warm-season grass, Blue Grama has a slow start in spring and does not actively grow until soil temperatures rise. Its deep roots help with erosion control, and the grass is drought-tolerant once established, thriving even in poor or alkaline soils. It is well-suited for soil stabilization, naturalization, restoration projects, or as an ornamental accent in gardens and landscapes.

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.

Blue Grama Grass Quick Facts

Beaked Sedge Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 1b
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 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: dry, normal
Moisture: wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - medium, tillering-medium
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low


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


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