Goosegrass (also known as Silver Crabgrass or Wiregrass)
Eleusine indica · Warm-season Annual, C4 photosynthetic pathway
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Chloridoideae, tribe Cynodonteae
Grass Category
Invasive/Weed Grass, commonly found in Turf and Sports Fields
Variety / Cultivar
Not applicable (wild species/weed)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 3-11 (as an annual); seeds germinate when soil temperatures reach 60-65°F; dies with the first hard frost.
About This Grass
A low-growing, tufted summer annual forming a distinct rosette with a silver-to-white center. It has strong, tough stems that are difficult to pull or mow. Seed heads are digital-like with 2-13 spikes, 1-6 inches long.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are medium width (3-8mm), flat or folded, with a blunt or pointed tip. Color is dark green with a prominent white or silvery center at the crown. Vernation is folded. Ligule is short, membranous, and fringed; auricles are absent.
Root System
Extremely strong, deep, fibrous root system that is highly resistant to pulling and excels in heavily compacted, low-oxygen soils. Does not form sod.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Asia and parts of Africa; naturalized globally in tropical and temperate regions; thrives in compacted soils
Growth Habit
Prostrate, bunch-type/clump-forming but spreads outward in a radiating, low-profile mat; non-rhizomatous and non-stoloniferous
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full Sun (requires high light intensity); highly drought-tolerant; thrives in moist, poorly drained, or compacted clay soils; pH adaptable (5.0-8.0)
Mowing & Maintenance
Maintenance focuses on eradication. It survives extremely low mowing heights (<0.5 inch). Control requires pre-emergent herbicides in spring or post-emergent selective herbicides; manual removal is difficult due to root strength.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional wear and traffic tolerance; thrives where turfgrasses fail due to compaction; resistant to many common herbicides (some biotypes show glyphosate resistance); distinctive 'wagon-wheel' growth pattern.
Ecological Information
Introduced/Invasive in North America; provides minimal wildlife value; often indicates soil compaction issues; outcompetes native turf species in distressed areas.