Large Crab Grass Digitaria bicornis
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Digitaria diversiflora
- Paspalum bicorne
- Phonetic Spelling
- dij-ih-TARE-ree-uh BY-korn-iss
- Description
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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:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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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.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Ground Cover
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Weed
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Clumping
- Prostrate
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
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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.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Raceme
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Small flowers in racemes at leaf axils
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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.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Green hairless stem
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Problems:
- Weedy
