CRABGRASS

also called finger grass any of about 300 species of grasses in the genus Digitaria (family Poaceae), especially D. sanguinalis or the slightly shorter D. ischaemum (smooth crabgrass). D. sanguinalis has long hairs covering its leaves and has five or six spikelets, while D. ischaemum has no hair and only two or three spikelets. Both species are natives of Europe that became widely naturalized as weeds in North America. They and a few closely related species are very troublesome weeds in lawns, fields, and waste spaces because they have decumbent stems that root at the joint. Such a habit, in spite of their being annual grasses, makes their eradication difficult, especially if they have seeded into existing lawns. Rooting at the joints makes thick, tenacious patches of the weed, and mowing merely induces new flowering and the shedding of more seed. Crabgrass is an annual perpetuated by seeds that overwinter in the ground. Because the seed germinates later than that of desirable competitors, preemergence sprays may be useful as a means of eliminating the plants. Hand weeding is also useful, but the most effective control is a hardy lawn that smothers crabgrass seedlings. One species of crabgrass, Arizona cottontop (D. californica), is a useful forage grass in southwestern North America.