Kyullinga (Green Kyllinga / False Green Kyllinga)
Kyllinga nemoralis (or Kyllinga brevifolia) · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 sedge
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn Weed / Invasive Sedge
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 7-11, highly adapted to warm and humid climates.
Grass Family
Cyperaceae (Sedge family, not true grass)
Variety / Cultivar
Wild type / Common green kyllinga
About This Grass
Forms a dense, bright green mat that often grows faster and lighter green than surrounding turfgrass. Notable for its characteristic small, globe-shaped or star-like greenish-white flower heads/seed heads produced very close to the ground, allowing it to survive low mowing.
Blade Characteristics
Leaves are narrow (fine to medium, 1-3 mm wide), flat, tapering to a pointed tip, bright green to yellowish-green. Triangular stems typical of sedges. Vernation is folded. Ligule is a tiny membrane, auricles absent.
Root System
Fibrous with aggressive underground rhizomes and creeping stolons, forming a tough sod that is difficult to eradicate once established; moderate depth.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Asia and Africa, now widespread globally in tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate regions
Growth Habit
Rhizomatous and stoloniferous, forming dense, low-growing mats or patches
Sunlight & Water Needs
Prefers full sun to partial shade and thrives in moist, poorly drained, or excessively irrigated soils. High moisture requirement, poor drought tolerance without irrigation.
Mowing & Maintenance
Grows rapidly, especially after rain, and frequently outgrows turfgrass between mows. Low mowing height encourages it because its seed heads form below standard mowing heights. High maintenance required for control.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional tolerance to low mowing, high foot traffic, and wet soils. Resistant to many standard broadleaf herbicides due to being a sedge, requiring specialized sedge herbicides (e.g., halosulfuron or sulfentrazone) for control.
Ecological Information
Introduced weed in turfgrass systems; provides little positive value in lawns where it is considered an invasive weed, though it can stabilize damp soils.