How to Manage Pests

Identification: Weed Photo Gallery

Crabgrasses

Scientific name: Digitaria spp. (Grass Family: Poaceae)

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Crabgrasses are summer annual grasses that generally grow in patches. They inhabit agricultural land and other disturbed sites. In California, large crabgrass, Digitaria sanguinalis, is more often found in gardens or landscape areas and smooth crabgrass, Digitaria ischaemum, is more often found in turf. They can provide good forage for livestock.

Habitat

Crop fields, orchards, vineyards, gardens, landscaped areas, turf, nurseries, pastures, roadsides, ditches, and other disturbed places.

Mature plant

Stems mostly branch at the base, are flattened in cross-section, and grow upright or prostrate. Leaves are flat, rolled in the bud and have a prominent midvein. Sheaths are open and flattened. Lower stems may root at stem joints (nodes) and the root system is fibrous.

Collar region

Ligules are membranous. There are no auricles.

Flower

Their flower heads have spikelike branches in one, or more often, two whorls at the stem tip. The spikelets that originate from the main stem are found at 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch (0.3–0.6 cm) intervals. The branches are 1/2 to 2-1/2 inches (1.3–6.4 cm) long.

Related species/Similar looking plants

Dallisgrass
Goosegrass
Large crabgrass
Smooth crabgrass
Witchgrass
Bermudagrass

More information

• Grass ID illustration
• Calflora's distribution map
  
• See UC IPM's Crabgrass Pest Note for landscape information
• See UC IPM's Pest Management Guidelines for agricultural information