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Chufa Flatsedge

Cyperus esculentus L. (sy-PEER-us es-kew-LEN-tus)

Family: Cyperaceae Native Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

Yellow Nutsedge, is a perennial, glossy green, grass-like native weed or sedge that spreads predominantly by rhizomes and tubers, although viable seed can be produced. Plants die back to the ground in fall, with new shoots emerging in spring from underground tubers. This species, as well as other sedges, grows best in wet sites, prefers warm weather and full sun conditions, but will grow in a diversity of sites and environments. Like its Eurasian cousin, Purple Nutsedge ( Cyperus rotundus ), Yellow Nutsedge is destructive to crops in sunny, open fields and moist, disturbed soil, robbing fellow plants of nutrients with long, invasive roots called rhizomes. If you pull it up, you can see the nut-shaped edible ( esculentus ) nodules that store the nutrients. Unfortunately, once pulled up, the nutsedge may leave broken roots to form more numerous roots in its place. It is best to remove young plants and leave exposed roots in the sun to dry out. Only certain preemergence herbicides control yellow nutsedge. Note that Purple Nutsedge responds differently to herbicides than Yellow Nutsedge. Listed in the USDA Plants database as a noxious weed in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, t his species is not a recommended plant for most gardens. Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: No known pests or diseases. More information on Cyperus .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 68 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Often confused with Cyperus rotundus
Fills a similar niche Euphorbia maculata Smilax rotundifolia Toxicodendron radicans

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Edible; Herbaceous Perennial; Native Plant; Ornamental Grasses and Sedges; Weed
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0)
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasional Flooding | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 0 ft. 2 in. - 0 ft. 5 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Ascending; Erect; Mounding
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves are light green, smooth, glossy, long, v-shaped and narrow. Three leaves extend broad at the base tapering to a point. The leaves tend to congregate toward the base of the plant. The leaf blades are up to 1½ feet long and 1/3 of an inch across spreading outward from the stem. There is a conspicuous channel along the central vein of each leaf blade, especially the larger ones. The leaf sheaths are whitish green, closed, and hairless; sometimes they become pale red toward the base of the plant.
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Red/Burgundy
Flower form
Umbel
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Spikelets occur at the ends of the solitary stems in a cluster where the flower stalks arise from a common point (umbel-like). Individual spikelets are reddish-purple to reddish-brown in color. The size and shape of the umbel is rather variable and can be several inches across. Each umbel has 1-3 sessile spikes and 6-10 non-sessile spikes on straight branches of varying length. At the base of each umbel or compound umbel of spikelets, there are several leafy bracts of varying length; the largest bract is usually longer than the inflorescence. Each floral spike is about 2-3" long, consisting of 4 ranks of spikelets along its central stalk (or rachis). The central stalk is flattened and narrowly winged. The spikelets are perpendicular to this stalk and about ½–¾" long. The spikelets are yellow to golden brown, narrowly linear, and flattened in shape; they consist of 10-30 florets and their scales. Each floret has a white tripartite style and yellowish brown anthers; the tips of the styles are curly.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Tiny, single seeded, smooth, oblong shaped.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Erect, triangular stem branching into three stems of yellow, antenna-like seedpods. Stems rise from tuber or basal bulb with overapping, brown scales on rhizomes.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Southern United States, tropical to subtropical regions
Distribution
Throughout United States, except Wyoming and Montana.
Wildlife value
Larval host for Dun Skipper.
Attracts
Moths
Host plant for
Dun Skipper
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit; Nuts; Tubers
Harvest time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Achene

Edibility

Tubers can be eaten raw, cooked or dried and ground into a powder and used in confectionery. A nut-like flavor but rather chewy and with a tough skin. A beverage is made by mixing the ground tubers with water, cinnamon, sugar, vanilla and ice. An edible oil is obtained from the tuber that compares favourably with olive oil. The roasted tubers are a coffee substitute.

Uses (ethnobotany)

Used homeopathically; almond-flavored tubers used for a drink.

Landscape Use
Landscape theme
Native Garden; Rain Garden
Garden tags
#full sun tolerant #sedge #perennial weed #native weed #high maintenance #fast growing #cpp #NC native #weedy
Problems & Resistance
Other problems
Yellow Nutsedge
Problems
Weedy
Resistant to
Poor Soil; Wet Soil
Particularly resistant to
Difficult to remove due to long, rhizomous roots.
Propagation
Root Cutting; Seed

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.

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