Carex praegracilis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carex praegracilis |
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| At Point Mugu State Park in California | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Carex
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| Species: |
praegracilis
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| Synonyms | |
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Carex camporum |
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Carex praegracilis is a type of plant called a sedge. It grows naturally in North America. People also know it by names like clustered field sedge, field sedge, and expressway sedge. Sometimes, people grow Carex praegracilis on purpose. They use it instead of grass for lawns or to create natural-looking meadows. This is part of a special type of farming called horticulture.
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Where Does This Sedge Grow?
This sedge plant is found all over North America. It grows from Alaska across southern Canada. You can also find it throughout most of the United States, from California all the way to Maine. However, it does not usually grow in the southeastern parts of the U.S.
What Does This Sedge Look Like?
Carex praegracilis likes to grow in wet places. This includes areas that are wet all the time or just wet during certain seasons. You can find it in meadows and wetlands. It can even grow in places that have been disturbed, like along roadsides. This plant especially likes alkaline soils, which are soils with a high pH level.
Stems and Roots
This sedge grows tall, sharply triangular stems. These stems can reach up to 1 meter (about 3 feet) in height. They grow from a network of thin, rough rhizomes. Rhizomes are like underground stems that help the plant spread.
Flowers and Spreading
The flowers of Carex praegracilis grow in a dense cluster. This cluster looks a bit like a cylinder and can be up to 4 or 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) long. Interestingly, this plant is often dioecious. This means that a single plant will usually have either male flowers or female flowers, but not both at the same time.
This sedge is spreading to new areas. You can often see it growing along roadsides. Scientists think that road salt might help it grow there.
