Ontario Weeds: Large crabgrass

Table of Contents

1. Name
2. Other Names
3. Family
4. General Description
   • Photos and Pictures
5. Stems and Roots
6. Flowers and Fruit
7. Related Links

Name: Large crab grass, Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.,

Other Names: digitaire sanguine, Finger grass, Hairy crab grass, digitaire pourpre, panic sanguin

Family: Grass Family (Gramineae)

General Description: Annual, reproducing only by seed.

Photos and Pictures

Large crab grass, viewed from the side.

Large crabgrass

Large crabgrass. A. Plant. B. Leaf-base. C. Side view. D. Back view of a portion of spike with several spikelets.

Stem and leaf-base characteristics of a typical grass.

Stems & Roots: Stems 5-120cm (2in.-4ft) long, erect, spreading, or lying on the ground and rooting at nodes in contact with the soil; leaves numerous near the base of the plant and scattered along the stems, 4-20cm (1 1/2-8in.) long, 5-10mm (1/5-2/5in.) wide and gradually tapered towards the pointed tip; leaf blades and leaf sheaths sparsely to densely soft-hairy; the hair standing more or less straight out; leaf sheaths split, the margins hairless and overlapping; ligule membranous, 0.5-2mm (1/50-1/12in.) long; no auricles.

Flowers & Fruit: Inflorescence finger-like, with several thin, slender, spikes in a whorl at the top of the stem, or more usually with 2 or 3 sets of branches from the upper 2-4cm (4/5-1½in.) of stem; each spike ("finger") flattened and with the single-seeded spikelets closely arranged along only one side; seeds purplish-green and ridged lengthwise. Flowers from July to September.

| Top of Page |

Related Links

... on general Weed topics
... on weed identification, order OMAFRA Publication 505: Ontario Weeds
... on weed control, order OMAFRA Publication 75: Guide To Weed Control

| Back to the Ontario Weeds Gallery | Top of Page |