Dallisgrass
Paspalum dilatatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Invasive/Weed Grass, Pasture/Forage Grass
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 6 through 10. Highly adapted to the southern United States and transition zones. Goes dormant and turns straw-colored with the first hard frost.
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paspaleae
Variety / Cultivar
Wild type species with no specific commercial turf cultivars due to weed status
About This Grass
Forms coarse, wide clumps of dark green foliage that stand out prominently in fine-textured lawns. Height ranges from 6 to 20 inches when unmowed, with flowering stems reaching up to 4 feet tall. Features distinctive drooping raceme seed heads containing hairy spikelets arranged in pairs along the rachis.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse texture with blade width measuring 3 to 12 mm. Flat, light to medium green leaves with pointed tips and prominent midveins. Vernation is folded in the bud. Ligule is a tall, membranous structure (up to 3mm). Auricles are absent. Distinctive long, white hairs are frequently found near the collar region on the upper blade surface.
Root System
Deep, robust fibrous root system combined with short, knotty rhizomes. Establishes firmly, shows moderate drought resistance by accessing deep moisture, and forms dense, persistent clumps that resist pulling.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to South America (Brazil and Argentina); naturalized throughout warm-temperate and subtropical regions worldwide, including the southern and transition zones of the United States
Growth Habit
Bunch-type grass that forms wide, coarse clumps, spreading slowly via short, thick, scaly rhizomes
Sunlight & Water Needs
Thrives in full sun to partial shade. Prefers moist, poorly drained soils or over-irrigated areas, but tolerates occasional dry spells through deep roots. Prefers heavy clay or loam soils but adapts to a wide pH range.
Mowing & Maintenance
Difficult to control in lawns due to rapid vertical growth of seed stalks that escape standard mowing heights. Mowing height: 1.5 to 3 inches. High maintenance as a weed in turfgrass; requires manual removal, spot treatment with non-selective herbicides, or selective pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides in warm-season turf.
Special Characteristics
Very low traffic tolerance for fine turf aesthetics because of coarse, clumping growth habit. Moderate to high tolerance for compacted, wet soils where other grasses fail. Often considered an aggressive weed in residential lawns and sports turf, though valued for forage in permanent pastures.
Ecological Information
Introduced species that can behave invasively in cultivated turfgrass environments. Provides fair to good forage value for livestock in pasture settings. Wildlife value is limited primarily to cover and seed consumption by ground-foraging birds.