Audubon® Short's Sedge

If you have a pond, creek, rain garden, or even just a ditch or low spot on your property, consider adding some Short’s Sedge to your landscape. The birds will love you for it! In the wild, Ducks, Turkeys, Ruffed Grouse, Prairie Chickens, and Woodcocks relish this nifty native’s valuable seeds. In more developed areas, Mourning Doves, Sparrows, Towhees, Juncos, and Cardinals may come to dine. Short’s Sedge also offers ground-dwelling birds a place to hide under its grassy leaves as well as additional food in the form of caterpillars, grasshoppers, and leafhoppers, which feed on its foliage. Give your feathered friends a treat!

Low, grass-like, green, and generally without showy flowers, native Sedges go unnoticed by most people. However, these humble plants provide big benefits to wildlife (particularly in wetland habitats), and we should include them more in our gardens. The seeds nourish many birds and the foliage feeds moths and butterflies, such as the tufted Sedge moth, the Virginia ctenucha moth, the eyed brown butterfly, the Appalachian brown, and several skipper butterflies. Short’s Sedge is one of our many wonderful native Sedges. It’s most often found in wet soil, and will perform best in your garden if consistent moisture can be supplied.

Short’s Sedge is not named for its stature, but for Charles Wilkins Short, the nineteenth-century physician/botanist who first described it in his home state of Kentucky. This species grows most abundantly in the lower Midwest, though its range stretches from eastern Kansas to Virginia.

We do the hard part. Our trees and plants are grown and cared for by only the best, local growers for years before they find their forever home in your landscape. Bower & Branch is known for having hard-to-find, substantial sizes and selection. The quality of our trees and plants are consistent in health and vigor—always ready for immediate impact in your garden and instant curb appeal. We believe in empowering homeowners with the truth about strong, healthy and structurally sound plants that are grown to perform in the ground after they leave the nursery for home delivery, always fresh inventory from the grower

Audubon is devoted to protecting birds and the places they need, while Bower & Branch is devoted to the growth of true native trees and plants–no cultivars or hybrids. Together, we strive to unite communities in conservation and inspire individuals to cultivate a better world for birds starting in their own backyards, balconies, or patios. By guiding and recommending trees and plants truly native and beneficial to your region, we can really start to make a difference.

What is the definition of Native?

“In the United States, a native plant is defined as one that was naturally found in a particular area before European colonization. Native plants are the foundation of a region’s biodiversity, providing essential food sources and shelter for birds, especially those threatened by the changing climate. Since native plants are adapted to local precipitation and soil conditions, they generally require less upkeep, therefore helping the environment and saving you time, water, and money.” – The National Audubon Society

Learn how you can help birds in your home and community through Audubon’s Plants for Birds program.

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