Sedges and Rushes of Minnesota: The Complete Guide to Species Identification

The first comprehensive, fully illustrated field guide to Minnesota’s nearly 250 species of sedges and rushes

When most of us encounter a sea of what seem like grasses, we don’t know if we’re looking at a bog or a fen, a swamp or a marsh or a meadow. What we’re seeing probably aren’t even grasses. They are sedges and rushes, which frequently make up the majority of plants in a wetland—and they can tell us, by their presence and pattern of occurrence, what kind of wetland it is. Quick to respond to changes in habitat, they are good indicators of ecological conditions. As significant as they are in the natural environment, sedges and rushes are also simply beautiful—noteworthy features in a garden and in the wild. 

This book is an expert, accessible guide to the nearly 250 species of sedges and rushes in Minnesota. With its finely detailed photographs and descriptions, Sedges and Rushes of Minnesota enables quick and reliable identification of these often difficult-to-distinguish species. As an in-depth introduction or a handy field guide, the book is the first complete, comprehensive reference on these important plants of Minnesota—an invaluable resource for specialists, naturalists, and wild plant lovers.

Welby R. Smith is the Minnesota State Botanist with the Department of Natural Resources in Saint Paul. He is author of Native Orchids of Minnesota and Trees and Shrubs of Minnesota and a contributor to Minnesota’s Endangered Flora and Fauna, all from the University of Minnesota Press.

Richard Haug has been a native plant enthusiast and photographer for thirty-five years.