In dry open, sandy ground or sometimes on moist shores; generally appearing after soil disturbance, clearing, or fire, like C. argyrantha and C. foenea, but much more locally distributed.

This has uniformly stiff, straight, and often dense heads, with the spikes close together -- or even congested. It can be told from congested late season forms of Carex argyrantha and C. foenea by the broad pistillate scales nearly as wide as the bodies of the perigynia and virtually concealing them.

Though growing into vigorous clumps shortly after appearing from the seedbank after fire or disturbance, the clumps are short-lived, dying out after only 4-5 years.