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 named cultivars for this weed species)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 3-10, excellent heat tolerance, killed by the first hard frost
About This Grass
An aggressive, sprawling annual summer weed grass with a coarse texture, light yellow-green to medium green color, growing low to the ground before sending up flowering stems up to 2 feet tall bearing finger-like racemes
Blade Characteristics
Medium-coarse width (4-8mm), flat, pointed tips, light green to blue-green color, rolled in the bud (vernation), sparsely to densely hairy leaves and sheaths, prominent membranous ligule without auricles
Root System
Shallow, fibrous root system with strong ability to root at lower nodes touching the soil, rapid establishment from seed, creates moderate thatch
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and temperate Asia; now naturalized worldwide in temperate and tropical regions
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous and spreading by rooting at lower nodes, forms loose mats
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun, high sunlight requirement, moderate to high water needs for active growth, good drought tolerance through dormancy, thrives in compacted, poor soils with pH 6.0-7.0
Mowing & Maintenance
Mows well at low heights (1.0-2.0 inches), highly persistent despite frequent mowing, high maintenance requirement if treated as a weed, low maintenance if left unmanaged
Special Characteristics
Very high wear tolerance in summer, rapid recovery from damage, excellent tolerance of poor soil and compaction, poor cold tolerance, considered a major lawn weed
Ecological Information
Introduced species, provides minor seed food for ground-feeding birds, highly invasive in disturbed turfgrass environments, competes aggressively with desirable turfgrasses