[3] This sedge is native to the northern half of North America, including most all of Canada and the northern United States, and down to montane California.

[4] It is a common plant in many types of wetland habitat.

[2] Carex utriculata produces stems exceeding 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in maximum height from a thick network of long rhizomes.

The inflorescence is a cylindrical mass of flowers up to about 40 cm (16 in) long with an accompanying leaf-like bract which is generally longer than the flower spike.

Each inflorescence bears up to 200 developing fruits, each enclosed in a shiny green, golden, or brown perigynium.