Large Crabgrass, Hairy Crabgrass

[Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.]

Poaceae (Grass Family)

seedlings ▲

▲young plant

▲▼ mature plants

▲ ▼ close up of hairs on leaf blades, sheaths

Large Crabgass, Hairy Crabgrass:  (pp. 416-417, Weeds of the Great Plains; pp. 46-47 in Weeds of the Northeast)

·         also with spreading growth habit, similar to southern crabgrass and smooth crabgrass, but can grow to 12-24” tall and equally wide

·         digitate panicles with 4-9 panicle branches that are 1.75-5.5” long

·         leaves have hairs on both sides of blade and long hairs on the sheath; usually dark green in color, sometimes turning dark red on sheaths and stem as plants mature

·         leaf midvein is prominent

·         stems also root at the nodes

·         inflorescence is a digitate panicle with 3-5 branches