Retrorse Sedge

Carex retrorsa

Pollinator Value

❄️ Winter Food Source: Carex seeds are consumed by at least 63 bird species at the genus level. Waterfowl including Mallard, Green-winged Teal, and Northern Pintail rely heavily on Carex seeds, with Pintail diets comprising up to 58% Carex by volume. Marsh birds such as Sora and Virginia Rail also feed extensively on Carex seeds and achenes in wetland habitats. Persistent perigynia remain on the plant through fall and into winter, providing a reliable seed source for overwintering sparrows and finches including American Tree Sparrow and Common Redpoll.
S57 genus-level avian diet data; S46 seedhead persists through fall

Proximity Score: 0
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: Local
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
Rarity Notes: Globally secure (G5) and not SARA-listed. Ranked S5 in Ontario and S4 in Quebec by NatureServe. Common in the Ottawa-Gatineau region with 80 preserved specimens in the Gatineau bounding box and 14 Quebec herbarium records at MT/CNH. Rare to uncommon only at the southeastern edge of its range in Massachusetts (S2S3).
S22 G5, S5/S4; S26 not SARA-listed; S48 specimen counts; S54 14 QC specimens; S61 MA S2 S3
Rarity Ranks: QC S4 – Apparently Secure, ON S5 – Secure
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Carex retrorsa is a clump-forming obligate wetland sedge found in swamps, marshes, wet thickets, and along the shores of streams, ponds, and lakes. In the Ottawa-Gatineau region it is common and well-documented, with herbarium specimens from Dow's Swamp, Beaver Meadow near Hull, Gatineau Point, and Kettle Island. It typically grows in saturated organic soils in partially shaded to open sites, often alongside Salix, Cornus, and other Carex species in riparian and palustrine wetland communities.
S6 habitat description; S7 swampy ground, swamp borders; S62 Common in Ottawa; S48 specimen localities

Roles: Water Purifier
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Water Purifier: S72 Hemenway (tables: 5-3, pp. 82)]
Notes: Functions as a water purifier in wetland guilds. Its dense fibrous root system filters sediment and excess nutrients from surface runoff, making it valuable for bioswales, rain gardens, and constructed wetlands. Pairs naturally with other OBL wetland species in riparian plantings.
S72 water_purifier role; S11 OBL wetland indicator

❌ Not Edible