Goosegrass
Eleusine indica · Warm-season, annual, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Chloridoideae, tribe Cynodonteae
Grass Category
Weed Grass, Invasive Turf Weed, Compaction Indicator
Variety / Cultivar
Wild type, no specific cultivated varieties
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 through 11. Highly sensitive to frost and cold temperatures, which kill the annual plant, though it leaves behind abundant viable seeds for the following season.
About This Grass
Goosegrass is a tough, coarse annual weed that forms low-growing, prostrate to ascending clumps. It can reach heights of 1 to 2 feet when left unmowed. The color is typically a dark green, often with a whitish or silvery-white center at the base of the stems. The texture is coarse, and the overall form is very flat and sprawling, allowing it to survive very low mowing heights. The seed head consists of a terminal cluster of 2 to 10 stiff, finger-like spikes (racemes) arranged digitately, often with an additional spike attached slightly below the main cluster.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are medium to coarse in width (3-8 mm), flat or folded, with a pointed tip. The color is dark green to blue-green. Vernation is folded in the bud. The ligule is a short, jagged, membranous structure, and auricles are absent. The collar is broad and continuous, often featuring sparse hairs.
Root System
Features a very tough, deep, fibrous root system with a thick, whitish taproot-like crown. Does not form stolons or rhizomes, but reproduces strictly by seed. Extremely difficult to pull by hand due to the strong root anchorage and flattened growth habit. Low thatch tendency.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Old World tropical and subtropical regions; now cosmopolitan in warm temperate, tropical, and subtropical regions worldwide
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming) with a strong, low-growing, rosette-like base and flattened stems (tillers) that radiate outward
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun and thrives in high temperatures and intense sunlight. It has moderate water needs once established, but is exceptionally tolerant of drought, highly compacted soils, and poor drainage.
Mowing & Maintenance
Extremely persistent under low mowing heights (can survive below 0.5 inches on golf course turf). Maintenance involves pre-emergent herbicide application in early spring, hand-pulling or post-emergent selective herbicides for removal, and core aeration to alleviate the soil compaction that favors its growth. High maintenance required to eradicate.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional tolerance to soil compaction, heavy foot traffic, and wear. Highly resistant to standard wear and tear on athletic fields and pathways. Poor tolerance to heavy shade. Acts as an aggressive weed in turfgrass, outcompeting desirable grasses in compacted, stressed areas.
Ecological Information
Considered an introduced weed in North America and many parts of the world. Provides minimal wildlife value compared to native grasses. Its presence is a strong biological indicator of severe soil compaction and low fertility. Can become invasive in agricultural fields, lawns, and turf systems.