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 cultivars as it is considered a weed)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 3-10; warm-season annual that germinates when soil temperatures reach 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit and dies off with the first hard frost.
About This Grass
A coarse-textured, light to medium green summer annual grass that forms sprawling, low-growing mats. Grows up to 12-24 inches tall if allowed to seed. Distinctive finger-like (digitately arranged) raceme seed heads emerge in late summer.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades (4-10 mm wide), flat, pointed tips, light green to blue-green color. Rolled in the bud (vernation). Leaf sheaths and blades are typically hairy. Membranous ligule without auricles.
Root System
Fibrous and shallow root system with roots forming at the lower nodes where stems touch the ground (stoloniferous). Fast establishment from seed in spring.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and temperate Asia; now naturalized worldwide in temperate and tropical regions
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous and spreading, rooting at the lower nodes; forms coarse, loose mats
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun and well-drained soils. High drought tolerance once established, thriving in hot, dry, neglected turf areas. Prefers soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Resilient to low mowing heights, often surviving under 1 inch. High maintenance required to remove manually or treat with pre-emergent/post-emergent herbicides.
Special Characteristics
Aggressive weed in lawns and turfgrass; highly competitive in thin turf; excellent germination capacity from abundant seed production; low wear tolerance compared to dense turfgrasses.
Ecological Information
Introduced weed species in North America; provides minimal forage value for wildlife; often acts as an indicator of thin, stressed, or over-fertilized turf areas with compacted soil.