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DESCRIPTION:
Large crabgrass is a widely distributed summer annual grass that germinates throughout the summer. However,
new seedlings may begin to appear as early as February. Seedlings sprout quickly, forming a clump with extensive
roots where soil is moist. The large crabgrass seedling is pale green and covered with coarse hairs. It has
a membranous ligule and no auricles. Young leaves are rolled in the bud. Leaves unroll as they grow out of
the center. Seedlings resemble those of witchgrass. Once established,
it is difficult to remove because it roots from portions of lower stems. To differentiate the flowering stalk
from that of bermudagrass, look for slender branches arising separately
from the stalk. The flowers are held in 3-7 slender fingerlike branches on the end of the flowering stem. Plants
form open clumps up to 2 feet (60 cm) tall. Large crabgrass can be distinguished from smooth
crabgrass (D.
ischaemum) by its longer, narrower leaf, and presence of hairs.; it is most often found in turfgrass.
See UC IPM's Crabgrass Pest Note
for more
information.
Grass ID illustration.
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