Plant Database

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Root Type: Fibrous
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Venation: Parallel
Fruit Type: Achene
Size Notes: Up to about 18 inches tall when flowering. Up to about 1 foot tall when not flowering.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Green , Brown
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun
Bloom Notes: Perianth absent. Bloom time refers to fruiting period for Carex spp.

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , FL , GA , KY , LA , MO , MS , NC , OK , SC , TN , TX , VA
Native Habitat: Abundant in sandy loam in woodlands in East, Southeast, and North Central Texas. Needs good drainage.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
Cold Tolerant: yes
Heat Tolerant: yes
Conditions Comments: Cherokee Sedge is an evergreen, clumping sedge with attractive pendulous flower/seed stalks in late spring. It is one of the tallest of sedges in this region. It is somewhat drought tolerant, but will fare better with extra water in drier months and thrives in very moist situations. It makes a fine groundcover or a useful low maintenance filler in large gardens. This sedge deserves wider use in gardens.

Benefit

Interesting Foliage: yes
Deer Resistant: High

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Commercially Avail: yes

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Native grasses for shade in Dallas
November 30, 2008
What native grasses can be grown under large Live Oaks in the Dallas Area? The combination of shade and black gumbo soil seem to keep all plant life, except for poison ivy and ferns, out. I would lo...
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Plants for a steep lot in Tennessee
August 07, 2008
I have built a home on a very steep lot (approx 1 1/2 acres)in Northern Central Tenn in Jackson County. The lot is too steep to mow and some of it is too steep to stand on comfortably. My question is...
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Native ground cover to replace grass in Florida.
February 04, 2008
Where can I find a list of ground covers to replace my grass. I live in the south of Ocala Florida.
view the full question and answer

Ground cover for trails in Northeast Texas
January 09, 2008
I have several acres of wooded land in Northeast Texas, Southern Lamar County. Both sandy and black land. I have created trails through the woods and would like to plant a native ground cover or gras...
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Sedges and ornamentals for shade in Bastrop County
June 20, 2007
I bought a home in Elgin, TX that was owned by an elderly woman. Most of the lawn is shaded by elm or pecan trees. In the sunny areas, i got native wildflowers to grow like lantana and coneflower,...
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National Wetland Indicator Status

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

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:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
NPSOT - Williamson County Chapter - Georgetown, TX
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Wildflower Center Seed Bank

LBJWC-1025 Collected 2007-05-02 in Liberty County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

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