Smooth Crabgrass

Smooth Crabgrass

Digitaria ischaemum (Schreb.) Schreb. ex Muhl.

Poaceae (Grass Family)

seedlings ▲

young plants ▲ ▼

mature plants ▲ ▼

inflorescence ▲

collar and ligule regions ▲ ▼

Smooth Crabgrass:

warm-season, annual grass with spreading growth habit, sometimes rooting at nodes; 2-18" high; panicle inflorescence with 5 -10 branches in somewhat digitate panicle arrangement, with 2-6 panicle branches, 1-3.5" long
stems often growing in zig-zag habit along the ground
has, at most, only a few hairs on leaf blades near collar region, and no hairs on sheath, compared to large crabgrass or southern crabgrass
leaf midvein is not prominent, if sheath or stem has any color besides green, is often more purplish than reddish
can survive and reproduce under close mowing situations
requires light to germinate; may germinate over long periods in southern Missouri
spreads over adjacent plants, shading them and weakening them