Nutsedge
Cyperus rotundus
Yellow nutsedge (often simply called "nutgrass") is a highly invasive perennial weed that plagues lawns throughout Middle Tennessee during the hot summer months. While it looks somewhat like grass, it is actually a member of the sedge family. It thrives in poorly drained, consistently moist soils, but once established, it can survive in dry conditions as well.
What makes nutsedge incredibly difficult to eradicate is its root system. It spreads through an extensive network of underground rhizomes and small tubers, or "nutlets," which can grow up to 14 inches deep in the soil. Pulling nutsedge by hand is usually a mistake; doing so often breaks the root, triggering the dormant tubers to sprout, resulting in several new plants emerging where there was originally only one.
How to Identify Nutsedge
- 1Stems are triangular and solid (remember the rhyme: "sedges have edges").
- 2Leaves are shiny, pale yellow-green, and grow much faster than fescue.
- 3Has a distinctive V-shape when looking down at the base of the plant.
- 4Produces a spiky, yellowish-brown seed head in late summer.
Treatment & Control
Standard broadleaf weed controls and grassy weed herbicides will not kill nutsedge. It requires specific sedge-control herbicides (often containing the active ingredient Halosulfuron or Sulfentrazone). Because the underground tubers are so resilient, complete eradication usually requires multiple applications over consecutive seasons. Improving soil drainage and reducing irrigation frequency can also help create an environment less favorable to nutsedge.
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