Wheat Sedge vs Yellow Hedysarum - TreeTime.ca

Wheat Sedge vs Yellow Hedysarum

Carex atherodes

Hedysarum sulphurescens

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Wheat Sedge
Yellow Hedysarum

Wheat Sedge is a native perennial sedge commonly found in wetlands, ditches, and along shorelines. It thrives in saturated soils, spreading by rhizomes to form large colonies that stabilize both soils and shorelines. This makes it valuable for wetland and riparian plantings.

Its distinctive, wheat-like seed spikes add seasonal character while providing food for waterfowl, and its dense clumps supply cover and nesting habitat for birds and small animals. Together, these traits make Wheat Sedge an important species for enhancing biodiversity and supporting healthy wetland ecosystems.

Yellow Hedysarum is a native perennial wildflower recognized for its clusters of pale yellow to creamy-white, pea-like blooms. Flowering from late spring into summer, it adds subtle colour to grasslands, roadsides, and open woods while attracting a variety of pollinators, especially bumblebees.

As a nitrogen-fixing plant, Yellow Hedysarum enriches soils and supports the growth of surrounding vegetation. Its deep taproot and extensive root system make it drought-tolerant and effective at stabilizing soil. Grizzly bears are known to dig up and eat the nutritious taproot. Its resilience and ecological value make it well-suited for restoration, naturalization, pollinator gardens, and erosion control projects.

Wheat Sedge Quick Facts

Yellow Hedysarum Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2b
Height: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.8 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, colony-forming
Growth form: ascending to upright
Spreading: rhizomes - high, seeds - low
Spreading: seeds - low


Flowers: creamy yellow, in dense spikes
Bloom time: late spring to summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, YT, NT
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: awned sedge, hairy leaved lake sedge, slough sedge
Other Names: sulphur hedysarum, sulphur sweet-vetch, yellow sweet-vetch