Green Foxtail
Setaria viridis · Warm-season, Annual, C4
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Invasive/Weed Grass
Hardiness Zones
Thrives across USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9; highly adaptable to diverse thermal environments.
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae
Variety / Cultivar
Wild type (No specific cultivars)
About This Grass
Forms upright, coarse clumps reaching heights of 1 to 2.5 feet when unmoved. Features bright green to yellowish-green leaves and distinctive cylindrical, bristly, foxtail-like seed heads that often nod slightly at maturity.
Blade Characteristics
Medium-to-coarse width (4-8mm), flat shape, pointed tip, light green to medium green color, rolled vernation in the bud, prominent midvein. Features a fringe of hairs in place of a membranous ligule, and auricles are absent.
Root System
Fibrous root system, moderately deep for an annual, fast establishment from seed, no significant thatch-forming tendency.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Eurasia; widely naturalized throughout North America and temperate regions worldwide
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming) annual
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun, moderate to low water needs once established, moderate drought tolerance, highly adaptable to various soil types and pH levels.
Mowing & Maintenance
High maintenance if treated as a weed in lawns; tolerates low mowing temporarily but persists by going to seed below typical mower heights. Requires manual removal or pre-emergent herbicides.
Special Characteristics
Low wear tolerance as an annual weed, highly prolific seed production, excellent ability to invade thin turf areas, poor winter color retention as it dies with the first hard frost.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America; seeds provide a valuable food source for ground-feeding birds and small mammals, but it is generally managed as an agricultural weed and lawn invader.