Crabgrass
Digitaria sanguinalis · Warm-season, Annual, C4
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Invasive/Weed Grass
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 3-10, dies with the first hard frost of winter and germinates from seed in spring
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae
Variety / Cultivar
Wild type
About This Grass
An aggressive, coarse-textured annual grassy weed with a sprawling, prostrate-to-ascending growth habit. Forms light green to yellow-green patches that disrupt turf uniformity. Produces finger-like, branching spike seed heads in late summer.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse width (4-10 mm), flat shape, pointed tips, light green to blue-green color, rolled in the bud (vernation), membranous ligule, prominent hairy blades and sheaths, absent auricles
Root System
Shallow, fibrous root system with stolons that root at the lower nodes; fast establishment, low drought tolerance in severe heat without water, poor wear recovery as an annual
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and temperate Asia, now widely naturalized globally in temperate and tropical regions
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous and spreading, rooting at the nodes, forms sprawling mats
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun, requires at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight, high water needs during germination and active summer growth, poor true drought tolerance (enters dormancy or dies in extreme drought), thrives in compacted or thin soils with a pH of 6.0-7.0
Mowing & Maintenance
Mows well at 1.5-3 inches, requires frequent mowing due to rapid vertical and horizontal growth, high maintenance/nuisance level, controlled via pre-emergent herbicides and post-emergent treatments
Special Characteristics
Low wear tolerance, high invasive tendency in thin turf, excellent seed production for self-propagation, rapid germination in spring when soil temperatures reach 55-60°F
Ecological Information
Considered an invasive weed in managed turfgrass, provides minimal wildlife forage, easily outcompetes weakened lawns, often serves as an indicator of thin turf, soil compaction, and overwatering