WEED ID · PERENNIAL SEDGE

Nutsedge

Also called Nutgrass, yellow nutsedge, purple nutsedge

A sedge, not a grass. It grows faster than your lawn and comes back from underground tubers, even after you pull it.

When you’ll see it: Late spring through early fall

Yellow nutsedge growing through a lawn, with shiny upright blades and a yellow-green seed head on a stiff triangular stem — Photo: Blahedo, CC BY-SA 2.5

How to spot it

Stems are triangular. Roll one between your fingers to feel the three sides
Leaves come in sets of three and look yellow-green or shiny
Pops up taller than the grass soon after mowing
Yellow or purplish-brown seedhead at the top of the stem
Underground tubers, like small nuts, on the roots

Why it shows up

Nutsedge grows from underground tubers and rhizomes. It loves wet soil, so it shows up in low spots, bad drainage, and overwatered lawns. Pulling it by hand can wake up more tubers.

How we treat it

Nutsedge is a tough perennial, so one visit is rarely enough. We spot treat with a product labeled for sedges and for your grass type. We come back for repeat visits as new growth shows up. We also fertilize to keep your turf thick.

What you can do

Do not pull it. Hand pulling can leave tubers behind and make it worse.
Check for leaks, drainage problems, and overwatering. Wet soil feeds nutsedge.
Call early in summer, when plants are still small.

Read the guide

WANT IT HANDLED?

Let a licensed applicator take it from here.

Tell us about your lawn. We’ll get back to you with a free quote.

Prefer to talk? 817-382-1722

Licensed applicator, Texas Department of Agriculture · License #0984138