| Plant Description: | |  |
| Name: | purple nutsedge |
| Scientific Name: | Cyperus rotundus |
| Family: | Cyperaceae |
| Type: | Sedge |
| Lifecycle: | Perennial |
| Habit: | Purple Nutsedge is a perennial weed plant from rhizomes and tubers. It can reach 2 1/2 feet in height. It is found throughout the southeastern United States as a common weed of agronomic and horticultural crops, nurseries, turfgrass, and landscapes. |
| Leaves: | The leaves are yellow to green in color with a distinct shiny appearance. Leaves are 5mm to 8 mm wide. They have a distinct ridge along the mid-vein. Leaves are produced in groups of 3 from the base of the plant. Leaves are without hairs. No auricles or ligules are present in Purple Nutsedge. The leaves of purple nutsedge taper abruptly to a very sharp point. |
| Leaf Arrangement: | Folded in bud |
| Characteristics: | The success from this troublesome weed is due to its ability to survive and reproduce from tubers during adverse conditions. It grows in almost every soil type, over a wide range of soil moisture, pH and elevation. It can survive the highest temperatures encountered in agriculture. |
| Flower Seed Head: | Purple Nutsedge spikelets occur at the ends of the solitary stems where the flower stalks arise from a common point. Individual spikelets are reddish-purple to reddish-brown in color. |
| Seed Fruit: | |
| Where Found: | Purple Nutsedge is primarily found in the warm humid Southern United States. |