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Growth habit of slender-foot sedge (Carex leptopoda) growing in a moist forest. One of approximately 200 species of Pacific Northwest native plants available at Sparrowhawk Native Plants, native plant nursery in Portland, Oregon.
Close up of the inflorescence of slender-foot sedge (Carex leptopoda). One of approximately 200 species of Pacific Northwest native plants available at Sparrowhawk Native Plants, native plant nursery in Portland, Oregon.
Slender-foot sedge (Carex leptopoda) growing with ferns and other companions in a moist forest. One of approximately 200 species of Pacific Northwest native plants available at Sparrowhawk Native Plants, native plant nursery in Portland, Oregon.
Mature, evergreen slender-foot sedge (Carex leptopoda) growing at the base of a tree in a moist forest. One of approximately 200 species of Pacific Northwest native plants available at Sparrowhawk Native Plants, native plant nursery in Portland, Oregon.

Slender-foot Sedge

$3.95
$3.95

Carex leptopoda (synonym: Carex deweyana ssp. leptopoda)

Slender-foot sedge is a fine-textured, clumping woodland sedge that thrives in a wide range of habitat types. Through the growing season it forms a soft, graceful mound of narrow green leaves, with subtle spring flower spikes that rise just above the foliage, adding quiet interest without overwhelming its refined form. Beyond its beauty, this sedge provides cover and foraging habitat for small wildlife and beneficial insects and it excels as a low-maintenance companion plant in native woodland gardens, rain gardens, and borders.

  • Plant type/canopy layer: evergreen, perennial sedge, herb/ground layer
  • Size at maturity: 8”-42” tall; clumping up to 24” wide 
  • Light requirements: mostly sunny to mostly shady
  • Moisture requirements: moist soil
  • Bloom time: green to brown inflorescence generally appear April-May
  • Growth rate/ease: fast growing, easy to grow
  • Wildlife support: overall plant is a caterpillar host and larval food source for native butterflies and moths and provides excellent refugia and nesting areas for beneficial insects; seeds provide food for songbirds
  • Native habitat/range: naturally occurring in a range of habitats including wetlands, partially shaded riparian areas and moist forests up to elevations of about 2700m on both sides of the Cascades, from northern California to Washington. Portland Plant List - yes. 
  • Special features & uses: evergreen; deer resistant; great candidate for containers and small gardens, landscape uses include rain gardens and bioswales, erosion control, bank stabilization

Gardening with Slender-foot Sedge: This versatile wonder prefers part-to-mostly shady areas with moist soil. Like most plants, it prefers good drainage, but honestly isn't that picky. In woodland gardens, it works beautifully as a soft groundcover beneath hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and/or native maple trees (bigleaf, Acer macrophyllum - vine, Acer circinatum) and native shrubs such as oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor), osoberry (Oemleria cerasiformis), salal (Gaultheria shallon) and red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa var. arborescens). Or try it in your shady raingardens, along shaded paths and woven among ferns and spring ephemerals like candyflower (Claytonia sibirica), Pacific waterleaf (Hydrophyllum tenuipes) and Pacific bleeding heart (Dicentra formosa) to create a natural, layered look.

To help it thrive, plant slender-foot sedge in humus-rich soil, water during prolonged dry periods, leave the foliage standing through winter for protection, and simply comb out or trim old leaves in early spring before new growth emerges. This sedge helps stabilize soil, improve moisture retention, and provide shelter for small wildlife and overwintering insects.

Photo Credits 1 & 4 (habit, base of tree): © Zach Earl, some rights reserved (CC-BY) 

Photo Credit 2 (inflorescence): © Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC-BY) 

Photo Credit 3 (with forest companions): © Henrique Pacheco, some rights reserved (CC-BY)