Water Arum vs Bebbs Sedge - TreeTime.ca

Water Arum vs Bebbs Sedge

Calla palustris

Carex bebbii

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Water Arum
Bebbs Sedge

Water Arum is a native perennial wetland plant known for its showy white oval sheaths (spathe) that surround a yellow-green, cylindrical flower spike (spadix). It has large, oblong, heart-shaped leaves on stems that rise above the water from shallow, spreading rhizomes. The blossoms are followed in late summer by tiny, pear-shaped fruits that ripen to bright red, adding ornamental interest to wet habitats.

Water Arum provides food for birds and small mammals that eat its berries, and its flowers attract pollinators. It can tolerate cold climates and forms colonies in shallow water and saturated soils. It is well-suited for ecological restoration, riparian planting, naturalisation, and habitat projects in wet and shaded environments.

Bebb’s Sedge is a native perennial wetland plant that forms dense clumps of grass-like stems. It grows in a variety of wetland habitats, from marshes and wet meadows to lakeshores and stream banks. Ideal for rain gardens, riparian restoration, soil stabilization, and naturalization projects.

In late spring and early summer, Bebb’s Sedge produces clustered seed heads that mature from green to reddish-brown, adding seasonal interest while providing food and habitat for wildlife. As a cool-season plant, it grows most actively in the spring and as temperatures cool in the fall.

Water Arum Quick Facts

Bebbs Sedge Quick Facts

Zone: 1b
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: shade, partial shade
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: wet
Moisture: wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: colony-forming
Growth form: clump forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low

Toxicity: toxic if ingested

Flowers: white sheath around and yellow spike
Bloom time: spring to summer
Berries: red, in clusters
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, PE
Other Names: bog arum, swamp lily, wild calla, wild dragon
Other Names: bebbs oval sedge