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Asian Crab Grass Digitaria bicornis

Previously known as:

  • Digitaria diversiflora
  • Paspalum bicorne
Phonetic Spelling
dij-ih-TARE-ree-uh BY-korn-iss
Description

Asian Crabgrass is an annual, sometimes perennial weed native to tropical Asia, Madagascar and Australia. This warm season lawn and garden weed germinates in the spring and grows through the summer producing seed. The seed germinates in the late winter to early spring.  It has a ground-hugging clumping habit and can root in the ground at its leaf nodes making it very hard to pull up as it grows.  To manage the weed, try to hand weed it when it is small before it has sent down secondary roots.  Mulching garden beds can slow germination.  It is killed off by frost.  

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#spreading#annual weed#warm season weed#lawn weed#native weed#perennial weeds#weed
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#spreading#annual weed#warm season weed#lawn weed#native weed#perennial weeds#weed
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Digitaria
    Species:
    bicornis
    Family:
    Poaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Annual
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Tropical and Subtropical Asia, Australia, and Madagascar
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 4 in. - 0 ft. 8 in.
    Width: 0 ft. 3 in. - 2 ft. 6 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Annual
    Ground Cover
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Weed
    Habit/Form:
    Ascending
    Clumping
    Prostrate
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    High
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Fruit Type:
    Achene
    Caryopsis
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    Achenes are winged with velvety hairs. May or may not be on a stalk.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Pink
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Insignificant
    Raceme
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Description:
    Small flowers in racemes at leaf axils
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Sheath
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Linear
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    Narrow green grass-like leaves up to 6 inches long. Base is round with a pointed to tapering tip and serrated or wavy margins. There may be a few hairs at the base.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Smooth (glabrous)
    Stem Description:
    Green hairless stem
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Lawn
    Problems:
    Weedy