This sedge grows on the rocky shoulders of the river. I was drawn to the plant by its floral arrangement, which reminds me of a small bottlebrush. The flattened spikes radiate outward from a central stem. The spikes looked like they could potentially be a little prickly, but when I touched them, they were fairly soft.
This appears to be a flatsedge in the Cyperus genus, which, if so, isn’t native to this area. Many non-native plants seem to be dispersed and sown along the Willamette River corridor. It makes sense that streams carry seeds and uprooted plants and when the higher waters of winter recede, they are left on the bank in rich sediments to sprout and grow.
My hope is that this plant isn’t too vigorous and doesn't overtake habitats, preventing native plants from thriving. Also, maybe it is similar enough to a native plant and it might be suitable to eat and/or act as a host plant for some insects.
At this moment, I am trying to stay open to learning about it and appreciating its form and beauty.
