Large Crabgrass Digitaria sanguinalis
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Syntherisma sanguinalis
- Phonetic Spelling
- dij-ih-TARE-ree-uh say-GWIN-AL-liss
- Description
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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:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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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
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Weed
- Habit/Form:
- Horizontal
- Prostrate
- 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)
- 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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Problems:
- Weedy
