Crabgrass
Digitaria sanguinalis · Warm-season, Annual, C4
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Grass Category
Invasive/Weed Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Wild type (Large Crabgrass / Hairy Crabgrass)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 3-10, surviving as a summer annual completing its life cycle in a single warm season before dying with the first frost.
About This Grass
An aggressive, coarse summer annual weed grass that forms spreading mats, growing low to the ground when mowed or up to 2 feet tall if left unmowed. Light to yellowish-green in color, producing prominent finger-like raceme seed heads.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades, 4-10mm wide, flat, pointed tip, light green to blue-green color, rolled in the bud (vernation), with hairy leaf sheaths and blades, membranous ligule, and no auricles.
Root System
Fibrous, shallow root system that roots easily at the nodes (stolons), fast establishment from seed, poor drought tolerance causing early dormancy during dry spells.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and temperate Asia; now globally distributed in temperate and tropical regions
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous and spreading prostrate mat-forming
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun required, highly intolerant of heavy shade; moderate to high water needs during germination and growth, goes dormant or dies in extreme drought; adapts to various soil types but prefers warm, compacted soils with a pH of 6.0-7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Grows rapidly and thrives under low mowing heights; frequent mowing required to prevent seed production; high maintenance when targeted for eradication, requiring pre-emergent herbicides.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional ability to invade thin turf areas, poor wear tolerance compared to established turf, highly competitive in stressed or poorly fertilized lawns, excellent at surviving in compacted soils.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America, provides minimal forage value for wildlife, can become a significant agricultural and turf weed due to prolific seed production, often outcompetes weakened desirable turf grasses.