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Crop Grass Digitaria sanguinalis

Previously known as:

  • Syntherisma sanguinalis
Phonetic Spelling
dij-ih-TARE-ree-uh say-GWIN-AL-liss
Description

Crabgrass is a weedy summer annual that can spread quickly and form colonies. It develops several branching stems at the base with the lower branches tending to sprawl across the ground, while their upper branches are more erect. It prefers full sun to part sun in moist to dry clay loams but is very adaptable to poor soils. It has spread to nearly every state in the country. Use a pre-emergence herbicide in late winter or early spring to prevent germination of seed.  These products often need rainfall or irrigation to activate them so time your application wisely.  Remove any plants that do germinate early in the season as it becomes more difficult at the roots take hold of the soil. Mulching garden beds can slow germination.  It is killed off by frost.  In lawn situations, keep turfgrass as healthy as possible so it has a dense canopy that will outcompete Crabgrass.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#full sun tolerant#summer annual weed#high maintenance#upright form#aggressive#horizontal#poor soils tolerant#warm season weed#annual#weed#cpp
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#full sun tolerant#summer annual weed#high maintenance#upright form#aggressive#horizontal#poor soils tolerant#warm season weed#annual#weed#cpp
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Digitaria
    Species:
    sanguinalis
    Family:
    Poaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    Used as a hand-forged grain in the past.
    Life Cycle:
    Annual
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Eurasia
    Distribution:
    Wide distribution worldwide.
    Edibility:
    The grain is edible and nutritious
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Annual
    Weed
    Habit/Form:
    Horizontal
    Prostrate
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    High
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Occasionally Wet
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a
  • Fruit:
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Caryopsis
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    Produces many seeds remove plants before they set seed to reduce the population the following growing season.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Green
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Insignificant
    Panicle
    Raceme
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    There are many pairs of one-flowered spikelets along the length of each raceme that can be up to 8 inches long. They occur along one side of the flattened stalk mid-summer to early fall.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Sheath
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Linear
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    The leaf blades are up to 6" long and nearly ½" across and are dull light green. They can be slightly curly along the margins and are often hairy toward the base.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    Stems are prostrate, spreading, and rooting at nodes. They can be branched at nodes.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Lawn
    Problems:
    Weedy