Carex hirta
L.
(c) Kellina L. Higgins, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Kellina L. Higgins
(c) anna_efimova, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by anna_efimova
(c) Graham Buck, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Graham Buck
What to Eat
Edible parts: Root, Seeds
The root can be eaten cooked, and the seed is also edible, though it is small and fiddly to work with.
Where to Find It
It grows in damp and sandy places and in brackish swamps.
Britain, Europe, Luxembourg, New Zealand, North Africa, Turkey, Türkiye,
How to Identify
A perennial sedge reaching 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) tall and hardy to UK zone 6. Monoecious with wind-pollinated flowers appearing May to June, seeds maturing June to July. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils across mildly acidic to mildly alkaline pH ranges. Grows in semi-shade or full sun, preferring consistently moist or wet conditions.
How to Grow
Easily grown in a damp to wet soil in full sun or shade. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.
Propagation: Sow seed in situ in spring in moist soil in light shade. If seed is scarce, sow in a cold frame and plant out in summer. Seed typically germinates in 2–6 weeks at 15°C. Divide in spring — larger clumps can go directly into permanent positions, but smaller clumps are best potted up and grown on in a cold frame until rooting well, then planted out in summer or the following spring.
Medicinal Uses
The plant is diuretic.
Other Uses
The leaves are used for bedding.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Carex hirta, the hairy sedge or hammer sedge, is a species of sedge native across Europe. It has characteristic hairy leaves and inflorescences, and is the type species of the genus Carex.
Notes
There are about 2000 Carex species. There are 200 species in tropical America.
References (3)
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
- Simpson, D. A. & Inglis, C. A., 2001, Cyperaceae of Economic, Ethnobotanical and Horticultural Importance: A checklist. Kew Bulletin Vol. 56, No. 2 (2001), pp. 257-360
- Sp. pl. 2:975. 1753
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