Introduction to Sedge Identification

On March 25, 2026, Dr. Ashley Hillman, from the University of Alberta's Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences - Renewable Resources Department, gave a presentation to the Alberta Native Plant Council's Central Alberta Plant Study Group. In this presentation, she gave an introductory lesson on identifying common sedges (Carex species) found in Alberta uplands, wetlands, and peatlands. With permission from the author, we have here reproduced the slides from that presentation, in the hopes that our members may benefit from the knowledge conveyed that evening, even if they could not be in attendance.

Editor's note: Carex oederi is now known as Carex viridula

For those interested readers, further images and information on Alberta sedges can be found on the Alberta Native Plant Council's website:

http://anpc.ab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Photo_supplement_to_the_Carex_Establishment_Part_I-a-me_2011-05-11-V2_.pdf

http://anpc.ab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Photo_supplement_to_Carex_Establishment_Part_II_mi-v_2012-08-20-V3.pdf