Purple Nutsedge (Sedge weed, often confused with grass)
Cyperus rotundus · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 sedge
Grass Family
Cyperaceae (Sedge family)
Grass Category
Invasive/Weed Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Wild type
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 7-10, highly adaptable to warm, moist climates worldwide
About This Grass
Forms upright, star-shaped clusters of bright yellow-green leaves that grow noticeably faster than surrounding turfgrass, often standing out after mowing with a triangular stem cross-section
Blade Characteristics
Medium-coarse width (3-8mm), flat to V-shaped, pointed tips, bright yellowish-green color, folded vernation, triangular stems with no true ligules or auricles
Root System
Deep, extensive underground network of fibrous roots, rhizomes, and dark, hard tubers (nutlets); highly resilient and difficult to eradicate
Growing Information
Origin Region
India and Africa, now widespread globally in tropical and temperate regions
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous and rhizomatous, forms dense underground tuber chains, rapid spread
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun, thrives in wet, poorly drained, or frequently overwatered soils, poor drought tolerance for individual tops but tubers survive harsh conditions
Mowing & Maintenance
Hard to control by mowing alone due to rapid vertical growth, requires specialized selective herbicides targeting sedges, high maintenance to remove
Special Characteristics
Extremely low wear tolerance to physical damage compared to turf, highly invasive weed that outcompetes turfgrass, poor disease susceptibility but notoriously hard to pull because breaking the stem leaves underground tubers that sprout new plants
Ecological Information
Considered one of the world's worst agricultural and horticultural weeds, low wildlife value for turf ecosystems, spreads aggressively via underground tubers and seeds