Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Share

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Carex barbarae

Carex barbarae Dewey

Santa Barbara Sedge

Cyperaceae (Sedge Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: CABA4

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

A bright-green, evergreen plant forming dense tufts. Culms rise 1-3 ft. and are usually taller than the linear leaves.

 

From the Image Gallery

No images of this plant

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Root Type: Fibrous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Shape: Linear
Leaf Venation: Parallel
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Monoecious
Fruit Type: Achene
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Not Applicable
Bloom Time: Jul , Aug
Bloom Notes: Perianth absent. Bloom time refers to fruiting period for Carex spp.

Distribution

USA: CA , OR
Native Distribution: Coastal s. CA, n. through Coastal Ranges and Sierra foothills, to s.w. OR
Native Habitat: Seasonally wet, open, brushy or wooded slopes and valley flats

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Description: Seasonally wet soils.

Benefit

Use Other: Indigenous people cultivated the rhizomes for basketry.
Interesting Foliage: yes

Propagation

Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FAC FAC
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Web Reference

Webref 3 - Flora of North America (2014) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Carex barbarae in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Carex barbarae in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Carex barbarae

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-10-10
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back