Sedge vs. Grass

Sedge

• Sedges make up the plant family Cyperaceae. While they are distributed worldwide, most are found in cold, wet areas with poor drainage, making them ideal for moist, shady areas of the home garden. They produce three ranked leaves that develop into three vertical rows on either side of the stems. Species of sedges commonly found in wetlands, marshes and bogs include stipitate sedge (Carex stipata), hoary sedge (Carex canescens), and tussock sedge (Carex stricta). Ornamental sedges include, carnation sedge (Carex flacca), palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis) and Gray's sedge (Carex grayi).

Grass

• What is normally thought of as grass, or the short, densely-packed plants seen on a well-manicured lawn or golf course, develops into a much more sophisticated and complex plant if allowed to grow unmanaged. Grass leaves are two ranked, appearing in two layers on either side of their stems. Many types of grass, of the plant family Gramineae, such as Kentucky bluegrass or Bermuda grass, have definite value as turf grass, while other grasses, such as smooth crab grass, are considered invasive, particularly when they appear in areas where they can cause considerable damage to well-maintained landscapes. Other grasses, such as rabbit's tail grass (Lagurus ovatus), annual fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) and blue fescue (Festuca glauca) are used as ornamentals on their own or when combined with other types of plants.

Propagation

• Many plants depend on outside pollinators for their propagation. As a result, they must develop large. colorful, showy flowers that attract bees, birds and butterflies. Most grasses produce somewhat showy flowers, but sedge flowers are less conspicuous as they are wind-pollinated, making large, showy, attractive flowers unnecessary. Some grasses, such as Bermuda grass, also propagate by sending out runners just below the soil's surface that develop into other plants located several inches or many feet from the mother plant. New sedge emerges from a single seed initially, but its habit of developing tiny bulbs at the base of the plants provides another way for them to produce more new plants.

Considerations

• For gardening purposes, sedges are classified as ornamental grasses. Distinguishing between grasses and sedges is more easily accomplished when comparing mature samples of each species. Grasses generally have smooth, round, hollow stems, while sedge stems are triangular. Their leaf sheaths, or the bases of the individual leaves, are normally closed tightly around the stems, while the sheaths of grass plants are normally open. Most grass flowers are bisexual, with each flower possessing both male and female reproductive organs, while sedge flowers are either bisexual or unisexual, possessing either a male or female reproductive organ. Each flower on either a grass or sedge plant produces a single seed.