Large Crabgrass
Digitaria sanguinalis · Warm-season Annual, C4
Grass Family
Poaceae, Subfamily Panicoideae, Tribe Paniceae
Grass Category
Invasive/Weed Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Wild type (No specific cultivar; common invasive weed)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 2-11 (as an annual); dies back completely with the first hard frost but leaves behind thousands of seeds for the following spring.
About This Grass
A low-growing, spreading annual that forms coarse, pale green clumps. It has a prostrate growth habit, with stems that can grow up to 3 feet long if left unmowed, though it typically remains flat to the ground. Seed heads are digital (finger-like) spikes appearing in late summer.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse width (5-10mm); flat shape with a pointed tip; pale green to blue-green color; rolled vernation in the bud; leaf blades and sheaths are covered in dense, stiff hairs; ligule is tall and membranous; auricles are absent.
Root System
Shallow, fibrous root system; nodes on the stems (stolons) root easily upon touching moist soil, allowing it to rapidly colonize bare spots in lawns; low thatch but creates dense mats.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and Eurasia; now naturalized worldwide in temperate and tropical regions
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous and decumbent (prostrate); roots at nodes when in contact with soil
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full Sun (requires at least 6 hours); high drought tolerance once established; thrives in poor, compacted, or sandy soils; non-discriminatory regarding pH.
Mowing & Maintenance
Highly adaptable; can survive mowing heights as low as 0.5 inches by producing seed heads horizontally. Low maintenance requirement as it is a weed; control requires pre-emergent herbicides in early spring.
Special Characteristics
Extremely high wear tolerance; prolific seed producer (up to 150,000 seeds per plant); thrives in high-heat environments where turfgrasses struggle; rapid expansion in thinned turf.
Ecological Information
Introduced/Invasive in North America; provides some forage for birds and small mammals; used for soil stabilization in some regions but generally considered a nuisance that outcompetes native or desirable turf species.