Dallisgrass
Paspalum dilatatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Grass Category
Invasive/Weed Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Wild type (no specific turf cultivars as it is generally considered a weed)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10; heat tolerant, sensitive to heavy freezing temperatures which cause winter dormancy.
About This Grass
Forms coarse, wide, light-green to yellow-green clumps that stand out aggressively in standard lawns. It grows faster than many common turfgrasses, creating a ragged appearance. Unmowed, it produces tall seed stalks with distinctive hairy, finger-like racemes.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades (>4mm wide), flat to folded, with pointed tips and prominent midveins. Light green color. Vernation is rolled in the bud. The ligule is a tall, membranous structure, and the collar region is broad with long hairs at the margins.
Root System
Deep, robust, fibrous root system with short rhizomes, making it extremely difficult to pull by hand once established. Moderate to fast establishment from seed; exhibits high drought resistance due to deep roots.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to South America (Brazil and Argentina); naturalized globally in warm-temperate and subtropical regions, often found in lawns and pastures
Growth Habit
Bunch-type forming coarse, low-growing clumps that spread slowly via short, robust rhizomes
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun for optimal growth, highly adaptable to moist or irrigated soils, and exhibits good drought tolerance by going dormant or surviving on deep root reserves. Prefers heavy, poorly drained soils but grows almost anywhere.
Mowing & Maintenance
High maintenance weed in turfgrass; tolerates low mowing but leaves unsightly coarse patches. Difficult to control with standard selective herbicides; often requires spot treatment with non-selective herbicides like glyphosate or specialized pre/post-emergents.
Special Characteristics
Poor wear tolerance for fine turf due to clumping, excellent drought and heat resistance, highly resilient against standard mowing, aggressive weed that invades residential turf and crowds out desirable grasses.
Ecological Information
Introduced forage grass that has become an invasive weed in managed turfgrass. Offers limited forage value in pastures, but considered a persistent pest in residential lawns and sports fields due to its aggressive clumping and rapid growth.