Carex stipata

Also called Fox Sedge.

Sedges are one of the most biodiverse plant families. There are sedges in every ecosystem on the planet.

You can tell them apart from grasses by their edgier stems: “Sedges have edges, reeds are round, grasses are hollow all down to the ground”

This particular sedge has a decorative seed head with little pointy spikes all around it. 

Sedges and grasses provide good habitat for insects over winter.