Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
The towering 'turkey-foot' grass that once defined the tallgrass prairie, head-high by fall.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Carex pensylvanica
A soft, fine-textured sedge that makes a no-mow native lawn for dry shade.
Spreads into a flowing green carpet under trees where turf fails. Mow once or twice a year, or never, for a meadowy look. It’s deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, and easy to grow.
Pennsylvania Sedge is native to the Northeast. In the wild you’ll find it across Alabama · Arkansas · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kentucky and 24 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Pennsylvania Sedge on 34 state pages.
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Natives that share Pennsylvania Sedge’s range and conditions.
Andropogon gerardii
The towering 'turkey-foot' grass that once defined the tallgrass prairie, head-high by fall.
Sorghastrum nutans
Tall golden plumes catch the autumn light above a classic tallgrass-prairie planting.
Schizachyrium scoparium
The backbone grass of the prairie — blue-green in summer, glowing copper and silver all winter.
Panicum virgatum
An upright, clumping grass with a summer haze of pink seed heads and reliable golden fall color.