Yellow Nutsedge (with Turf-type Tall Fescue base)
Cyperus esculentus (Nutsedge); Schedonorus arundinaceus (Fescue) · Warm-season perennial (Nutsedge); Cool-season perennial, C3 (Fescue)
Grass Family
Cyperaceae (Sedges) / Poaceae, Pooideae (Tall Fescue)
Grass Category
Invasive/Weed Grass (Nutsedge) within a Lawn/Turf Grass (Fescue)
Variety / Cultivar
Common field Yellow Nutsedge mixed with unknown Turf-type Tall Fescue
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 3-11. Nutsedge foliage dies back in winter but tubers survive frozen ground.
About This Grass
Visible as bright lime-green, fast-growing triangular stems shooting up above a darker, denser dark-green lawn. The nutsedge is distinct for its glossy texture and rapid vertical growth in late summer.
Blade Characteristics
Nutsedge: Triangular cross-section stem, V-shaped blade, waxy/shiny texture, pointed tip, lime-green color. Fescue: Flat/rolled, prominent parallel veins, dark green, pointed tips.
Root System
Nutsedge: Extensively branched rhizomes ending in starchy tubers (nutlets), making it extremely hard to eradicate. Fescue: Deep fibrous roots with high drought tolerance.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Cosmopolitan distribution; native to Southern Europe and Africa. Fescue is native to Europe and North Africa.
Growth Habit
Rhizomatous with tubers or 'nutlets' (Nutsedge); Bunch-type (Fescue)
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full Sun to Partial Shade. Prefers poorly drained, wet soils but highly drought-resistant once tubers are established.
Mowing & Maintenance
Maintenance is high due to nutsedge outgrowing turf; requires specific sedge-targeted herbicides as regular mowing does not kill the tubers.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional heat tolerance. Nutsedge is highly resistant to standard broadleaf and grass herbicides; requires sulfentrazone or halosulfuron-methyl for control.
Ecological Information
Highly invasive in managed turf. Tubers are edible and provide food for some wildlife (waterfowl, hogs), but it is a major agricultural and aesthetic weed.