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Carex cherokeensis ( Cherokee sedge )

Carex cherokeensis ( Cherokee sedge )

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Regular price $ 160.00
Regular price Sale price $ 160.00
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Cherokee sedge has arching, glossy green leaves and drooping spring flower spikes. Its foliage provides cover for small animals and material that birds use in nests.

Sun exposure for Carex cherokeensis: dappled Sunlight; Full sun; Partial Shade. Reported soil conditions: good drainage, moist, occasional flooding, occasionally wet. Reported height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in..

Plant specifications

Key growing facts

Sunlight Dappled Sunlight; Full sun; Partial Shade
Soil moisture Reported soil conditions: good drainage, moist, occasional flooding, occasionally wet
Height 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Bloom season April–June (general cultivation guidance)
Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
Soil pH Published cultivation guidance lists acidic, alkaline, neutral soil conditions; no optimal numeric interval is established.
Cultivation hardiness zones Zones 6a–9b (general cultivation guidance)
Deer browsing Deer resistance reported in cultivation guidance; browsing remains possible.

Plant identification & seed reference

Botanical name Carex cherokeensis
Other common names Cherokee Sedge
Plant family Cyperaceae

Planting, growth & seasonal care

Flowering season: April–June (general cultivation guidance). Use this timing when planning seasonal interest with the other plants in the bed.

Browsing guidance: Deer resistance reported in cultivation guidance; browsing remains possible.

Use the selected product option to confirm the supply format and quantity. For a mixed planting, calculate the order from the actual species and layout; a plant’s mature height alone does not determine a seed rate or plug spacing.

Show / hide ▾Plant communities & associatesNo verified list yet

A species-level list has not yet been verified for this listing.

Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value

State nativity describes a broad range. Use the Chicago-region assessment for local context; a state listing does not establish county nativity.

Wetland indicator — NWPL 2022 Midwest FACW
Native range — U.S. states Alabama; Arkansas; Florida; Georgia; Kentucky; Louisiana; Mississippi; Missouri; North Carolina; Oklahoma; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; Virginia
County nativity Not yet verified; occurrence records do not establish nativity.

Regional assessment notes

This taxon is native to parts of the United States. A matching Flora of the Chicago Region (2017) assessment has not been verified for this listing. Any regional fallback rating is identified separately in the table above.

These records describe botanical distribution. They do not establish county occurrence or suitability for every site; an unlisted state is not proof of absence.

Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlife

Caterpillars recorded on Carex — genus-level evidence

These records concern the plant genus Carex, not necessarily Carex cherokeensis. They do not establish a host relationship for every species in the genus, specialist status, or occurrence at your location. The selected insects are listed as native in the source’s North American study area.

Butterfly: Cercyonis meadii (Mead's Wood-Nymph, Red Wood Nymph); Cercyonis pegala (Common Wood Nymph ); Coenonympha tullia (Common Ringlet ); Erebia callias (Colorado Alpine, Relict Gray Alpine); Erebia epipsodea (Common Alpine); Erebia fasciata (Banded Alpine); Erebia magdalena (Magdalena Alpine, Rockslide Alpine); Erebia pawlowskii (Yellow-Dotted Alpine); Erebia rossii (Ross' Alpine ); Lethe appalachia (Appalachian Brown, Appalachian Eyed Brown); Lethe eurydice (Eyed Brown ); Neonympha areolata (Georgia Satyr, Helicta Satyr); Neonympha mitchellii (Mitchell's Satyr ); Oeneis bore (White-Veined Arctic); Oeneis calais (Calais Arctic); Oeneis chryxus (Chryxus Arctic, California Arctic ); Oeneis jutta (Jutta Arctic); Oeneis melissa (Melissa Arctic); Oeneis polixenes (Polixenes Arctic).

Macromoth: Acronicta insularis (Henry's Marsh Moth, Cattail Caterpillar); Amolita roseola (Pink Sedge Moth, Rosy Grass Moth); Amphipoea americana (American Ear Moth, American Borer); Amphipoea interoceanica (Strawberry Cutworm, Interoceanic Ear Moth ); Apamea indocilis (Ignorant Apamea); Apamea sordens (Bordered Apamea, Rustic Shoulder-Knot); Apantesis blakei; Cingilia catenaria (Chain-Dotted Geometer); Ctenucha brunnea (Brown Ctenucha); Ctenucha virginica (Virginia Ctenucha ); Dargida procinctus (Olive Green Cutworm Moth); Deltote bellicula (Burnished Bog Moth, Bog Deltote, Bog Lithacodia); Eremobina claudens (Darked-Winged Hadena, Dark-Winged Quaker); Helotropha reniformis (American Crescent Borer, Reniform Celaena, Reniform Helotropha); Hemileuca menyanthevora (Bogbean Buckmoth); Hypocoena inquinata (Sordid Wainscot, Tufted Sedge Moth); Leucania phragmitidicola (Needle Wainscot, Phragmites Wainscot); Loscopia velata (Veiled Ear Moth, Veiled Grass Moth); Macrochilo absorptalis (Slant-Lined Owlet; Slant-Lined Fan-foot); Maliattha synochitis (Black-Dotted Lithacodia, Black-Dotted Glyph, Brass-Dotted Grass Moth); Meropleon diversicolor (Multicolored Sedgeminer); Mythimna oxygala (Lesser Wainscot); Papaipema nebris (Stalk Borer); Photedes includens (Included Cordgrass Borer Moth); Plusia putnami (Putnam's Looper Moth, Lempke's Gold Spot); Pseudeustrotia carneola (Pink-Barred Lithacodia, Pink-Barred Pseudeustrotia); Resapamea stipata (Four-Lined Borer); Spodoptera frugiperda (Fall Armyworm Moth); Sympistis kelloggii; Syngrapha ignea (Mountain Beauty Moth).

Micromoth: Cosmopterix clemensella; Cosmopterix ebriola; Cosmopterix fernaldella (Fernald's Cosmopterix Moth); Donacaula dispersella; Elachista albidella; Elachista alpinella; Elachista argentosa; Elachista cucullata; Elachista eleochariella; Elachista madarella.

Skipper: Anatrytone logan (Delaware Skipper, Logan Skipper, Black-Vein Skipper); Euphyes berryi (Berry's Skipper); Euphyes bimacula (Two-Spotted Skipper, Two-Spotted Sedge Skipper); Euphyes conspicua (Black Dash, Pontiac Skipper); Euphyes dion (Dion Skipper, Sedge Skipper); Euphyes dukesi (Dukes' Skipper ); Euphyes kiowah; Euphyes vestris (Dun Skipper, Dun Sedge Skipper, Sedge Witch)\); Hesperia assiniboia (Plains Skipper, Plains Branded Skipper); Hesperia colorado (Western Branded Skipper); Hesperia comma (Common Banded Skipper); Hesperia dacotae (Dakota Skipper); Hesperia leonardus (Leonard's Skipper, Blazing Star Skipper, Pawnee Prairie Skipper, Pawnee Montane Skipper ); Hesperia ottoe (Ottoe Skipper); Hesperia woodgatei (Apache Skipper); Limochores mystic (Long Dash ); Lon melane (Umber Skipper); Oarisma garita (Garita Skipperling); Poanes massasoit (Mulberry Wing ); Poanes viator (Broad-Winged Skipper ).

Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions

What are the ideal growing conditions for Cherokee sedge?
Light: Dappled Sunlight; Full sun; Partial Shade. Soil moisture: Reported soil conditions: good drainage, moist, occasional flooding, occasionally wet.

Is Cherokee sedge deer and herbivore resistant?
Deer resistance reported in cultivation guidance; browsing remains possible. Even plants described as resistant may be browsed. Use physical protection where deer damage is a concern.

When should I expect Cherokee sedge to bloom?
Typical flowering period: April–June (general cultivation guidance). Timing varies with location and weather.

Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes

Native range & ecological ratings: USACE National Wetland Plant List; Kew WCVP / Plants of the World Online.

Growing conditions & other references: Missouri Botanical Garden; NC State Extension Plant Toolbox.

Wildlife records: Shropshire & Tallamy: caterpillar hosts (2025).

Native range does not identify the origin of the seed or plants offered. Community and wildlife records apply to the locations and conditions described.

Research notes & credits

U.S. state nativity: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 4 June 2026 release, under Carex cherokeensis. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; CC BY 3.0. Native records selected; introduced, doubtful and extinct records excluded. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data; no endorsement is implied. State nativity is separate from Chicago-region nativity, county occurrence and the origin of nursery stock.

Additional reference: Open Database License 1.0.

Data adapted from Shropshire, K.J. & Tallamy, D.W. (2025), Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico, supplementary material 1. This selected and reformatted host dataset is available under the Open Database License 1.0. No endorsement implied.

Genus-level research records

These records concern the plant genus. They do not establish that each insect feeds on this particular plant species.

Record ID Scientific insect name Common name Source group Plant genus
202619 Cercyonis meadii Mead's Wood-Nymph, Red Wood Nymph butterfly Carex
202621 Cercyonis pegala Common Wood Nymph butterfly Carex
203123 Coenonympha tullia Common Ringlet butterfly Carex
204896 Erebia callias Colorado Alpine, Relict Gray Alpine butterfly Carex
204899 Erebia epipsodea Common Alpine butterfly Carex
204900 Erebia fasciata Banded Alpine butterfly Carex
204903 Erebia magdalena Magdalena Alpine, Rockslide Alpine butterfly Carex
204906 Erebia pawlowskii Yellow-Dotted Alpine butterfly Carex
204907 Erebia rossii Ross' Alpine butterfly Carex
207685 Lethe appalachia Appalachian Brown, Appalachian Eyed Brown butterfly Carex
207687 Lethe eurydice Eyed Brown butterfly Carex
208708 Neonympha areolata Georgia Satyr, Helicta Satyr butterfly Carex
208709 Neonympha mitchellii Mitchell's Satyr butterfly Carex
208907 Oeneis bore White-Veined Arctic butterfly Carex
208908 Oeneis calais Calais Arctic butterfly Carex
208909 Oeneis chryxus Chryxus Arctic, California Arctic butterfly Carex
208910 Oeneis jutta Jutta Arctic butterfly Carex
208912 Oeneis melissa Melissa Arctic butterfly Carex
208915 Oeneis polixenes Polixenes Arctic butterfly Carex
200312 Acronicta insularis Henry's Marsh Moth, Cattail Caterpillar macromoth Carex
200706 Amolita roseola Pink Sedge Moth, Rosy Grass Moth macromoth Carex
200718 Amphipoea americana American Ear Moth, American Borer macromoth Carex
200721 Amphipoea interoceanica Strawberry Cutworm, Interoceanic Ear Moth macromoth Carex
201112 Apamea indocilis Ignorant Apamea macromoth Carex
201136 Apamea sordens Bordered Apamea, Rustic Shoulder-Knot macromoth Carex
201153 Apantesis blakei macromoth Carex
202978 Cingilia catenaria Chain-Dotted Geometer macromoth Carex
203641 Ctenucha brunnea Brown Ctenucha macromoth Carex
203646 Ctenucha virginica Virginia Ctenucha macromoth Carex
203793 Dargida procinctus Olive Green Cutworm Moth macromoth Carex
203874 Deltote bellicula Burnished Bog Moth, Bog Deltote, Bog Lithacodia macromoth Carex
204918 Eremobina claudens Darked-Winged Hadena, Dark-Winged Quaker macromoth Carex
206757 Helotropha reniformis American Crescent Borer, Reniform Celaena, Reniform Helotropha macromoth Carex
206801 Hemileuca menyanthevora Bogbean Buckmoth macromoth Carex
207222 Hypocoena inquinata Sordid Wainscot, Tufted Sedge Moth macromoth Carex
207718 Leucania phragmitidicola Needle Wainscot, Phragmites Wainscot macromoth Carex
207914 Loscopia velata Veiled Ear Moth, Veiled Grass Moth macromoth Carex
208078 Macrochilo absorptalis Slant-Lined Owlet; Slant-Lined Fan-foot macromoth Carex
208116 Maliattha synochitis Black-Dotted Lithacodia, Black-Dotted Glyph, Brass-Dotted Grass Moth macromoth Carex
208287 Meropleon diversicolor Multicolored Sedgeminer macromoth Carex
208534 Mythimna oxygala Lesser Wainscot macromoth Carex
209281 Papaipema nebris Stalk Borer macromoth Carex
209959 Photedes includens Included Cordgrass Borer Moth macromoth Carex
210250 Plusia putnami Putnam's Looper Moth, Lempke's Gold Spot macromoth Carex
210619 Pseudeustrotia carneola Pink-Barred Lithacodia, Pink-Barred Pseudeustrotia macromoth Carex
210934 Resapamea stipata Four-Lined Borer macromoth Carex
211673 Spodoptera frugiperda Fall Armyworm Moth macromoth Carex
212051 Sympistis kelloggii macromoth Carex
212213 Syngrapha ignea Mountain Beauty Moth macromoth Carex
203510 Cosmopterix clemensella micromoth Carex
203514 Cosmopterix ebriola micromoth Carex
203517 Cosmopterix fernaldella Fernald's Cosmopterix Moth micromoth Carex
204236 Donacaula dispersella micromoth Carex
204435 Elachista albidella micromoth Carex
204436 Elachista alpinella micromoth Carex
204446 Elachista argentosa micromoth Carex
204466 Elachista cucullata micromoth Carex
204476 Elachista eleochariella micromoth Carex
204513 Elachista madarella micromoth Carex
200828 Anatrytone logan Delaware Skipper, Logan Skipper, Black-Vein Skipper skipper Carex
205417 Euphyes berryi Berry's Skipper skipper Carex
205418 Euphyes bimacula Two-Spotted Skipper, Two-Spotted Sedge Skipper skipper Carex
205419 Euphyes conspicua Black Dash, Pontiac Skipper skipper Carex
205420 Euphyes dion Dion Skipper, Sedge Skipper skipper Carex
205421 Euphyes dukesi Dukes' Skipper skipper Carex
205422 Euphyes kiowah skipper Carex
205424 Euphyes vestris Dun Skipper, Dun Sedge Skipper, Sedge Witch)\ skipper Carex
206849 Hesperia assiniboia Plains Skipper, Plains Branded Skipper skipper Carex
206852 Hesperia colorado Western Branded Skipper skipper Carex
206854 Hesperia comma Common Banded Skipper skipper Carex
206855 Hesperia dacotae Dakota Skipper skipper Carex
206857 Hesperia leonardus Leonard's Skipper, Blazing Star Skipper, Pawnee Prairie Skipper, Pawnee Montane Skipper skipper Carex
206863 Hesperia ottoe Ottoe Skipper skipper Carex
206868 Hesperia woodgatei Apache Skipper skipper Carex
207761 Limochores mystic Long Dash skipper Carex
207893 Lon melane Umber Skipper skipper Carex
208878 Oarisma garita Garita Skipperling skipper Carex
210262 Poanes massasoit Mulberry Wing skipper Carex
210263 Poanes viator Broad-Winged Skipper skipper Carex

Growing guidance: Illinois Extension — Keeping deer out of the yard and garden. Selected facts in original wording. General deer advice is not a species resistance rating.

Plant Shipping & Care

We want to ensure that our customers get what they want, a native backyard oasis. To do that, we need to follow a few simple guidelines and give you some information and pointers to make sure you get your plants delivered in a healthy state.

As a reminder, you will receive an email to confirm your pickup or shipping window just before the plants are ready. See Order Fulfillment below for seasonal fulfillment windows.

 

Choices to Receive Your Plants & Accessories

  • Website orders: Seed, plugs and bare-root plants offered for shipping are shipped to your address. Shipping charges are calculated at checkout.
  • Container trees and shrubs: Some #3 and #5 container options are offered for scheduled pickup only. Check the selected product option and the cart pickup instructions before ordering. Pickup and shipped items require separate orders where indicated in the cart.
  • Wholesale orders: Delivery and pickup are arranged separately according to the order, supplier yard and location. Wholesale pickup is free.
  • Pickup locations and dates are confirmed by email. Please wait for confirmation before traveling to a pickup site. Our offices are not retail stores or nursery pickup locations.

 

Order Fulfilment - When Your Plants or Other Items Will Be Ready

We take orders all year long and seed is shipped all year, but we only provide the plants to you in certain fulfillment windows to ensure healthy plants.

Wholesale Orders

  • Shipped or are Ready For Pick Up As Requested.

 

Retail & Website Orders

  • Seed Typically Ships Out Within One Week Of Order All Year Long
  • Typically, single species flats ship when ready, sometimes as soon as early to mid-April (depends on weather) through early-October.
  • Mixed species kits are batched and shipped as indicated on the product page.
  • If a plant order is placed while outside of the plant fulfillment window your plants will be reserved through your payment, however, the order will not be fulfilled and shipped until the following spring. We don't want to provide you plants when they won't be happy during the cold winter months. 
  • Early in the spring and later in the fall certain species may be dormant or partially dormant with brown leaves, however they will return to grow healthy next growing season.
  • Your order may arrive in several different shipments.
  • If certain plants within an order will not be available until a later date, we may choose to hold the full order until all are ready.  In certain circumstances, we may choose to send them in two separate shipments 
  • Fulfillment is always dependent upon plant availability.  We try our best but sometimes plants do not overwinter well and perish.  If a plant is on back order you will receive an email indicating the estimated shipping date.  If we can not provide the plant we will first notify you and give you an option of substitution or a refund of that individual species.
  • Plants are typically only packaged and shipped on Mondays to ensure they do not sit in the harsh delivery facility for extended periods of time over the weekend. You will receive a confirmation email once your delivery has been shipped and to estimate your delivery date.
  • Apparel & accessories are ready typically within one to two weeks. See product page for holiday shipping.

Where We Ship

 

 

        What to Expect When Receiving Your Delivery

        • Your plants will be packaged with the utmost care
        • We will need to cut back certain plants prior to shipping. This seems counter-intuitive, however, the fewer leaves the less water the plants can lose during shipping, resulting in healthier plants for you. This also enables the plants to fit within the protective packaging and shipped safely.

         

           Shipments

          • Larger plant shipments will look similar to the picture below with a tray of your plants and a cardboard box to protect them during shipping.

           

           

          What to Do With Your Plants After  Receiving Your Delivery

          • Unpack your order IMMEDIATELY
          • Inspect for damage and report any issues immediately to Natives@NaturalCommunities.net
          • Water your plants
          • Install your plants as quickly as possible and water the entire garden area thoroughly
          • If you cannot install your plants immediately
            • Some plants may not be in a container, put them into some kind of a container such as a paper cup with loose soil until installation
            • Make sure each plant is receiving the appropriate amount of light.
            • Continue to water daily each morning and possibly again in the afternoon
            • No additional fertilizer is needed
          How to install native plugs
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