Carex leavenworthii
Leavenworth sedge
(c) Nathan Aaron, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Not Native
Carex leavenworthii (Leavenworth sedge) is a non-native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by . Non-native urban weed with dense heads, short-stalked perigynia, and pithy tissue.
Leavenworth sedge is a naturalized perennial found in southern California coastal areas in lawn habitats at elevations below 100 meters. This urban weed produces pale white to green flower bracts in dense clusters 8 to 20 millimeters long with 3 to 8 spikelets. Growing in dense tufted clumps with grass-like stems, the sedge has narrow leaf blades 1 to 3 millimeters wide. Its leaves form compact, clustered bunches with acute to pointed tips characteristic of urban landscape environments. The fruit is small, approximately 1 to 1.8 millimeters long, with green to pale gold perigynia that have a short conic beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 14 sympatric species. Non-native urban weed with dense heads, short-stalked perigynia, and pithy tissue.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Lawns
Elevation: < 100 m
Outside California: native to eastern North America
How to tell it apart
vs Juncus: Carex stems are triangular when rolled; Juncus stems are round and often hollow with partitions inside.; vs Cyperus: Carex has seeds in individual flasks; Cyperus has umbrella-like flower clusters with flattened ribbon-like spikes.; vs Plantago: Carex has triangular stems and brown/green spikelets; Plantago has round flower stalks and white/brown spike flowers.; vs Eleocharis: Carex has leaves along the stem; Eleocharis is nearly leafless with just one spikelet per stem.; vs Schoenoplectus: Carex has leafy stems and flask-enclosed seeds; Schoenoplectus has leafless round stems with exposed seeds.
Frequently asked questions
Is Carex leavenworthii native to California?
No. Carex leavenworthii is not native to California (recorded as not native).
What plant family does Carex leavenworthii belong to?
Carex leavenworthii is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex leavenworthii grow in?
Carex leavenworthii grows in Lawns.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.