Edge/ Large Crabgrass

COMMON NAME: Large Crabgrass

OTHER COMMON NAME(S): Hairy Crabgrass, Finger-Grass

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Digitaria sanguinalis

FAMILY: Poaceae

COMMUNITY: Edge

STATUS: Naturalized from Europe

LIFESPAN: Annual

HEIGHT: Prostrate, creeping to 2 feet long

FLOWERING TIME: July to late October, most in August and September

FRUITING TIME: Mid-July to late October, most in August and September

DISTRIBUTION: Statewide in New Jersey ~ A very common weed, invades poorly maintained lawns

IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS: Much branched ~ Several spikelets on end of stalk ~ Leaves hairy, wide ~ Roots at the nodes ~ Many seeds. Consider the often quoted rhyme when identifying grasses: “Sedges have edges, Rushes are round, Grasses have joints from their tips to the ground.”

GENERAL INFORMATION: The Poaceae family is commonly called the grass family.  The common name “Crabgrass” refers to the creeping manner in which these plants grow.  The genus Digitaria is from digitus meaning “a finger” and refers to the slender, branched spikes on which the seeds grow. There are about 15 species of crabgrass (Digitaria) in the United States and approximately 60 species in the tropical and temperate regions of the world.  They are abundant in the East and Southeast.  Like many other annuals, they produce many seeds.  Thus, they are of value to wildlife and a nuisance to farms and gardeners.  Songbirds and upland gamebirds feed on the seeds of Large Crabgrass.  Small mammals eat the plant. Large Crabgrass is an established weed of lawns, fields, gardens and waste places throughout our area and west to the Pacific Ocean.

Please note: While harvesting wild berries/fruit is permitted at Island Beach State Park, visitors must adhere to park regulations at all times and must not damage vegetation or go off designated trails.  This information is presented for educational purposes.