Native sedges have become extremely popular over the past decade or so. (Some, like this one, didn't really even have common names.) There are many to choose from, and there are many native sedges that show up in wild areas, like the trail, without being planted. One challenge with the sedges is that there are SO MANY and they aren't always so easy to identify! This one is pretty distinctive. We have planted it in several places and it seems to be spreading on its own.

We like this sedge because it is very early not only to start growing, but it also produces its seeds early, before the invasive things really get going. This means that it has a better chance to compete against those invasives. We also like the way this puts out long stems with the seeds--this plant seems designed to gradually move itself down a slope. So we've used it on a few slopes that are difficult to plant for that purpose. 

Once you have this growing you can easily collect the seeds and scatter them where you want more plants to grow. This sedge is nice for home gardens because it is easy to care for--it really doesn't require cutting back in the fall, the leaves kind of melt down and disappear. It always looks nice!