Yellow Nutsedge—Cyperus esculentus L.
A perennial grass-like sedge, yellow nutsedge is a common weed in home lawns and other turf areas, vegetable and flower gardens and can be a problem in crop fields.
Spread mainly by rhizomes, underground stems that produce tubers, new plants may form as much as 10 feet away. Each plant can produce several hundred to several thousand tubers each year.
Stems are triangular-shaped. Leaves have a thick mid-vein and feel slick or waxy to the touch. Stems and leaves are yellowish-green. Leaves grow from the base in clusters of 3.
Flowers and seeds are light brown. Leaves, or bracts, beneath the flowering tops are 2 to 10 inches long.
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Identification and Control Information
- Identifying and Controlling Nutsedge in Nevada Landscapes (PDF) —University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
- Integrated Pest Management for Home Gardeners and Landscape Professionals: Nutsedge (PDF) —University of California
- Control of Yellow Nutsedge in Homelawns (PDF) —Purdue Turfgrass Science Program
- The Organic Weed Management Website—Cornell University
More Information
- Integrated Pest Management for Home Gardeners and Landscape Professionals: Weed Management in Landscapes (PDF) —University of California
- Weeds and Your Garden brochure (PDF) —New York State IPM Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension
- Weed Management in the Home Garden (PDF) —Iowa State University Extension
[Photos, left to right: Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org; Ohio State Weed Lab Archive, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org; Jeff Stachler, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org]