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Carex vesicaria

Carex vesicaria L.

Blister Sedge, Laurent's Sedge

Cyperaceae (Sedge Family)

Synonym(s): Carex inflata, Carex monile, Carex raeana, Carex vesicaria var. distenta, Carex vesicaria var. jejuna, Carex vesicaria var. laurentiana, Carex vesicaria var. monile, Carex vesicaria var. raeana, Carex vesicaria var. vesicaria

USDA Symbol: CAVE6

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N), SPM (N)

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Root Type: Fibrous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Shape: Linear
Leaf Venation: Parallel
Leaf Pubescence: Glabrous
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Monoecious
Inflorescence: Spike
Fruit Type: Achene
Size Notes: Up to about 3-1/2 feet tall.
Leaf: Mid to dark-green

Bloom Information

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

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , CO , CT , DE , IA , ID , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MT , ND , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OR , PA , RI , SD , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: AB , BC , MB , NB , NL , NS , ON , PE , QC , SK , YT
Native Habitat: Swamp/Marsh,Bog/Fen

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium

Benefit

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

Find Seed or Plants

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

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	OBL		OBL		OBL	OBL		OBL	OBL	OBL

This information is derived from: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (2023). 2022 National Wetland Plant List, version 3.6. U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS. https://wetland-plants.usace.army.mil/. 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:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 1218 - Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California's Natural Resources (2006) Anderson, M. Kat

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 26 - Minnesota Wildflowers: a field guide to the flora of Minnesota (2009)
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-10-25
Research By: TWC Staff

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