Cyperus rotundus

Purple nutsedge, Purple Nutsedge

Family: Cyperaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Purple nutsedge is a naturalized perennial herb found in the Central Valley, southern California Coast, and desert southern regions in disturbed soils and cropland at elevations below 250 meters. Flowering from July to November, this plant produces purple to red-brown flowers in compact spikes with distinctive ovate flower bracts. Growing with underground stolons that produce small tubers, it forms clumps 10 to 40 centimeters tall with spreading ray-like inflorescences. Its stems have 2 to 5 long bracts and develop complex clustered spikes with 3 to 12 spikelets arranged in open, elliptic formations. The fruit is small, elliptic, and black, though it rarely reaches full maturity.

Habitat: Disturbed soils, cropland

Bloom period: Jul-Nov

Elevation: < 250 m

Bioregions: GV, SCo, DSon

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.