Purple Nutsedge

Biological Name:

Cyperus rotundus (Purple-Nutsedge)

Natural Habitat:

Purple-Nutsedge: This plant is native to North and South America and grows in a variety of habitats, including fields, meadows, and along roadsides.

Description:

Purple-Nutsedge is a perennial weed that is native to the Americas. It has triangular stems and leaves and the leaves are narrow and grass-like. The flowers are small and purple and they are followed by hairy seed pods.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How do I get rid of purple nutsedge?
A: During the middle of summer, you can control purple nutsedge by cultivating the infested area and then withholding all moisture to allow the sun to dry the tubers. Repeated tilling and drying are required to give good control. This method is effective only in areas where other plants don’t need irrigation.
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Q: How do I permanently remove nutsedge from my lawn?
A: It can only be controlled by a post-emergent herbicide. The key to controlling nutsedge is to kill off the nutlet with a herbicide product, most control products take about 10-14 days to completely kill off the plant.
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Q: How do I stop getting nutsedge?
A: Mowing short stimulates nutsedge. You can help prevent nutsedge by regularly feeding your lawn with Scotts® Turf Builder® Lawn Food. A healthy, maintained lawn is the first defense against nutsedge. A well-fed lawn grows thick and is better able to crowd out weeds.
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Q: How did nutsedge get in my lawn?
A: Nutsedge is most problematic in lawns that have poor drainage or stay wet too long. This could be from overwatering with a sprinkler system, a lot of rain, or a combination of both. The best way to minimize nutsedge is to grow and maintain dense and healthy turf to outcompete nutsedge for space, food, and moisture.
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Q: Is nutsedge the same as crabgrass?
A: Nutsedge is a perennial that tends to prefer moist areas of the lawn. Crabgrass, on the other hand, is an annual grassy weed and will pop up in compacted areas where grass doesn’t grow well.
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Q: Are purple nutsedge poisonous?
A: They are excellent raw right out of the ground, boiled or roasted. Its tops are yellowish. Cyperus rotundus, the purple nut sedge, is also edible raw but is laced with the VIC’s aroma which lessen on drying.
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Q: Does nutsedge grow faster than grass?
A: While nutsedge may look similar to your regular healthy grass at first glance, nutsedge grass grows much faster than typical turf grass and will stand out like a tall patch in your beautiful lawn. And, depending on the variety, the color of the nut grass will be a giveaway.
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Q: Can you get rid of nutgrass by pulling it out?
A: More videos on YouTube Its leaves are grasslike and yellow-green, while the spiky head is purple or yellow. It’s a tough weed to control because it grows from tiny tubers, or nutlets, that form on roots that can grow 8-14 inches deep in the soil. Pull out the roots and some tubers will stay behind to grow.
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Q: What is the difference between purple and yellow nutsedge?
A: Purple nutsedge leaves are dark green, 1/8 to 4/17 of an inch (3–6 mm) wide, and have rounded tips; yellow nutsedge has light green leaves, a pointed tip, and a leaf width of 1/6 to 2/5 of an inch (4–9 mm). Purple and yellow nutsedge are also distinguished by their tubers.
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Q: How do I know if I have purple nutsedge?
A: Purple nutsedge can be identified by its shiny, green, grass-like leaves that are rounded at the tip. All sedges have triangular stems. The flower has multiple stalks that are purple to reddish-brown in color.
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Q: Is purple nutsedge an invasive species?
A: Cyperus rotundus (purple nutsedge) is a weed in over 90 countries and the world’s worst invasive weed based on its distribution and effect on crops. Its complex underground network of tubers, basal bulbs, roots and rhizomes ensure its ability to survive and reproduce during adverse conditions.
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Q: Why should you not pull nutsedge?
A: Pulling nutsedge will increase the number of plants because dormant tubers are activated. However, it is possible to control small stands of nutsedge by persistent pulling. Pulling will eventually weaken the plants and cause them to die out. Herbicide treatments are the best way of controlling this pesky weed.
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Q: Is nutsedge good for anything?
A: Nutsedge tubers have a distinct almond-like flavor and have been used as an almond substitute in cookies, confectionery, and even pounded with sugar to make a faux marzipan.
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Q: How do you stop nutsedge from growing?
A: Mowing short stimulates nutsedge. You can help prevent nutsedge by regularly feeding your lawn with Scotts® Turf Builder® Lawn Food. A healthy, maintained lawn is the first defense against nutsedge. A well-fed lawn grows thick and is better able to crowd out weeds.
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Q: Is there a natural way to get rid of nutsedge?
A: The best way to start to eliminate Nutsedge organically is to eliminate the conditions that are causing it to thrive, which are moist and compacted soil. It’s possible that you might need to physically put drain pipes in your lawn to help with congested water.
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Q: Will nutsedge take over grass?
A: Nutsedge grows very quickly, and the weed takes root very deep into the soil. Nut Grass spreads via small tubers, rhizomes, or by seed, meaning it can spread across your lawn in a number of ways. It’s also a perennial weed which will over-winter and come back again and again if you don’t address it.
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Q: Does nutsedge come back every year?
A: Also known as nutgrass, nutsedges often escape control because they’re not like weed grasses or broadleaf weeds targeted by most weed killers. These perennial weeds are sedges that come back year after year and reproduce in ways that complicate their control.
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About the author

Samuel is a gardening professional and enthusiast who has spent over 20 years advising homeowners and farm owners on weed identification, prevention and removal. He has an undergraduate degree in plant and soil science from Michigan State University.