Nutsedge (Yellow or Purple)
Cyperus esculentus (Yellow) or Cyperus rotundus (Purple) · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 Monocot (Note: Technically a sedge, not a true grass)
Grass Family
Cyperaceae (Sedge Family)
Grass Category
Invasive/Weed Grass (Sedge)
Variety / Cultivar
Common wild type; often mistaken for grassy weeds
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 3-11 (Yellow), 8-11 (Purple); survives winter as dormant underground tubers.
About This Grass
An aggressive, grass-like sedge with an upright, triangular stem. It typically grows faster than surrounding turf, making it appear taller and lighter in color. It features a shiny, waxy appearance and a distinctive yellow-green hue.
Blade Characteristics
V-shaped leaf blades with a prominent mid-rib; width approximately 3-8mm. Blades are arranged in a 'three-ranked' pattern from a triangular stem. Tips are long-tapered and pointed. No ligule or auricles are present.
Root System
Extensive fibrous roots with underground rhizomes that terminate in hard, starchy tubers (nutlets); very difficult to eradicate once established; high thatch-like densification.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Cosmopolitan distribution; native to Southern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, now globally naturalized
Growth Habit
Rhizomatous and tuberous; spreads via underground rhizomes and nutlets (tubers)
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade; thrives in wet, poorly drained soils but is highly drought-tolerant once tubers are established.
Mowing & Maintenance
Hard to control by mowing as it grows faster than turf (typically 1-4 inches between cuts); hand-pulling often leaves tubers behind which stimulates growth; high maintenance for removal.
Special Characteristics
Triangular stem (sedges have edges); highly resistant to standard broadleaf and grass herbicides; extremely resilient and difficult to control once tuber banks are formed; salt-tolerant.
Ecological Information
Commonly considered a noxious weed in agricultural and turf settings; tubers provide food for some wildlife (hogs, waterfowl) but it often displaces native flora in wetlands.