Flatspike sedge
Abildgaardia ovata
Cyperaceae


Landscape Uses:

Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

An occasional understory herb in pine rocklands.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description:
Small, fine-textured grasslike herb.
Height:
Typically 3-6 inches in height; to 12 inches when in flower. About as broad as tall.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
Monroe and Miami-Dade counties; disjunct in Citrus and Hernando counties; West Indies, Mexico, Central America, South America and the Old World tropics. In the Monroe County Keys, disjunct from Miami-Dade County to Bahia Honda, Big Pine Key and nearby islands.
Habitats:
Pine rocklands, marl prairie and coastal uplands.
Soils:
Moist, well-drained limestone soils, without humus.
Nutritional Requirements:
Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance:
High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements:
Full sun.
Flower Color:
Yellowish-green inflorescence.
Flower Characteristics:
Inconspicuous.
Flowering Season:
All year.
Fruit:
Inconspicuous achene.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Possible larval host plant for grass-skipper butterflies.
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from seed.
Comments:
A very attractive small fine-textured herb for sunny rockland gardens.


Eric Fleites