Hairy crabgrass

Poaceae

LIFE FORM: Summer annual

NATIVITY: Europe

VEGETATIVE CHARACTERISTICS:

Ubiquitous weed in all cultivated landscapes; it first appears in summer and grows until it is killed by frost; spreading, horizontal growth form.

FLOWERS:

Skinny, finger-like infloresences are highly distinctive.

FRUIT/DISPERSAL AGENTS:

Self-sows and spreads rapidly.

ECOLOGICAL PREFERENCE:

Trampled lawns in public parks; minimally maintained public parks and open space; abandoned grasslands (meadows); unmowed highway banks and median strips with frequent salt applications.

ENVIRONMENTAL FUNCTION:

Heat reduction in paved areas; drought tolerance on compacted soils.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:

This ubiquitous weed germinates in summer and dies with the first frost; can take over patchy lawns.