Carex molesta is a species of sedge known by the common name troublesome sedge. It is native to eastern and central North America, where it grows in varied wet and dry habitats, performs equally well in full sun and partial shade, including disturbed areas such as roadsides. It is an introduced species and often a weed in California. This sedge produces clumps of stems up to about a meter tall, with several narrow leaves up to about 35 centimetres (14 in) long. The inflorescence is an open cluster of green spherical spikes each 0.5 to 1.5 centimetres (0.20 to 0.59 in) long.