IDENTIFICATION
Provincial Noxious. Perennial.
Yellow nutsedge has smooth, three-sided, unbranched stems and grass-like,
sweet-smelling leaves. It bears small clusters of yellow-brown flowers
in the centre of four or more, long, leaf-like bracts.
Long, scaly underground stems (rhizomes) have onion-shaped, almond-flavoured
tubers at the ends. Mature nutsedge grows from 0.3 - 0.8 m tall.
DAMAGE
Yellow nutsedge is difficult to manage in cultivated fields, often
forming a solid cover over large areas. It competes for light, water,
and nutrients, and interferes with harvesting in crops like onions, potatoes,
beans, and corn. It is an increasing concern to berry production in British
Columbia. Infestations often start in wet areas and then spread outwards.
The tubers are considered edible by humans and wildlife.
HABITAT
Yellow nutsedge is adapted to many soil types and can be found
in irrigated crops, along streams, around lakes and ponds, wet fields,
and wet prairies. In British Columbia, it is found mainly in coastal agricultural
areas where it is considered a major concern.
SPREAD
It is spread by rootstock, tubers, and sometimes seed. Underground stems
radiate from the main plant, ending in bulbs or tubers that can produce
new plants.
