Carex careyana, commonly known as Carey’s sedge, is a species of sedge found in the eastern United States and Ontario, Canada. It is named in honour of John Carey. Its natural habitat is nutrient-rich moist forests, often on rocky calcareous slopes, and around outcrops such as caves or sinkholes.

C. careyana prefers the moist lower portions of rich forested north-facing slopes and moist forested bottomlands along small streams (mesic maple-basswood (PDF) and wet-mesic hardwood (PDF) forests). Some populations are found in the vicinity of springs. Populations are associated with common tree species such as Acer saccharum (sugar maple), Tilia americana (basswood), and Fraxinus nigra (black ash) and often with a number of rare herbaceous plants. Known populations of C. careyana range from a few scattered individuals to 100 or more.