HelpfulGardener.com

Hello,
I am having a huge problem with a certain weed spreading in my lawn. This weed will grow eight to ten inches tall in places if left without cutting. It has an unusual cross shape with three sprouts coming out of a central seed ball. Does anyone know what type of weed it is, and what herbicide I could use to exterminate it?
For size reference, the grass in the photos is St. Augustine.
Thanks for you help!
CJ
[img]https://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn113/cj12101/Grass/picture3154.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn113/cj12101/Grass/picture3148.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn113/cj12101/Grass/picture3149.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn113/cj12101/Grass/picture3150.jpg[/img]

I think I might actually have an idea which sedge this is but I've got to have much better photos.

Explainer as to why anyone trying to help you with an ID will need considerably better photos-
https://www.nps.gov/archive/crla/notes/vol30d.htm

Specifically close ups of the sheath, ligule, blade, and spikelets.

Hello,
I am sorry for the late reply. Thank you for your help! The guy at my local nursury said confidently this is some species of sandbur. I mentioned to him I was told it may be a sedge, but he said sedge has a triangular stem. These stems are creased, but not triangular. Do you think it may be sandbur?
Thanks,
Carter

Hi Carter, it's definitely probable because sedges do have triangular stems. If you touch them, you will be able to feel three distinct edges. That's why I asked for close ups of the sheath, ligule, blade, and spikelets. It also helps to know what state you are in. Any chance you can pull some out of the ground complete with the roots and bring them to the guy at the local nursery who told you they were sandburs? It is so much better to have them in one's hand.

Thanks for the quick reply. I am in Southern California. I brought the weed in to the nursury in a chunk of my grass. He looked at it for one second and said it was sandbur. I will try to get some more detailed photos for you when it grows back a bit. Have you ever heard of Green Kyllinga? I think this may be what it is. Supposedly Green Kyllinga is a type of sedge, but it doesn't have the triangular stem. Doesn't sound fun to deal with either...
Here's a link I ran across: https://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7459.html

Believe it or not, my guess was going to be Yellow Nut Sedge just from the poor photos you had. But, that sedge definitely has edges. I know there are a few exceptions to the rule for sedges but I don't know that I've ever run into any myself... and if I did, I didn't know I did.

Try try try to get good photos and let's see if we can have a go at figuring out what you have.

I read the information on the Asian Kyllinga brevifolia at your link. Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice. You keep that sedge out your way, we've got enough invasives out this way already without adding that to our list.

" 'Tis an ill wind that blows nobody good."

Thank you, CJ12101, for the link to UC Davis's Integrated Pest Management website.

I took a sample of an invasive weed/grass in my garden to a local independent nursery recently. Now, admittedly, this business isn't "into" lawns. But they tried to tell me this--THING--was Bermuda grass.

I've dealt with Bermuda grass on and off since high school in Tampa, Florida, when my father wanted a Bermuda Grass Lawn, but with NO RUNNERS. It was my job to pull out the runners.

So, when they tried to tell me it was Bermuda grass, I said, No, I *have* Bermuda grass here and there, but this isn't it.

Thanks to the photo at UCD's IPM site, I now KNOW that this little sucker is... Wait for it...



Kikuyu grass. AIIIIIEEEEE! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!



So the square shovel it will be. The trowel has not succeeded. I'll just have to attack this--GRASS --slowly, square foot by square foot, due to the various injuries and chronic pain I deal with, but that--STUFF--will...eventually...be...


Gone.


Just like the wild onion from my back yard and side yard/garden already is. Just like the oxalis / Bermuda buttercup is in the process of (disappearing, that is; this October/November will tell the tale). Just like the Bermuda grass *almost* is.

So will be the Kikuyu grass, at some wonderful future time.

Now that I know the enemy's name and habits, I *will* exterminate it. Eventually.

Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17

P.S. I'm almost "out" of dandelions, too...what a shame...

P.S. I'm almost "out" of dandelions, too...what a shame...

Want some of mine?