Common Name:

General Information

Carex pediformis is a perennial, grass-like plant with either short or elongate rhizomes. It can produce either loose or dense clumps of growth around 25 - 40cm tall[].
The plants are harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Eurasia - northwestern Russia to Slovakia and Ukraine, eastwards through Siberia and central Asia to the Russian Far East, China, Korea

Habitat

Grasslands, mountain slopes, lax forests; at elevations from 500 - 2,000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.35 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

We have no specific information for this species, but the young shoots and tender leaf bases of almost all species in this genus have a sweet flavour[]. They furnish a tasty nibble and make an excellent emergency food in the wild since they are widely available[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The plants are used for making mats[].
The leaves of most species in this genus can be used to make a soft, insulated bedding for sleeping on when camping etc[].

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ in the spring in a moist soil in light shade. If seed is in short supply it can be sown in a cold frame and be planted out in the summer. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 6 weeks at 15°c[]. Species in this genus, when started from seed tend to stay diminutive for over a year, with plant leaves remaining stunted and fragile for a considerable period of time[].
Division in spring[]. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or following spring.