Turfmate field notes · Weeds

Summer grass & crabgrass

Digitaria species

Spreading warm-season annual grasses with finger-like seed heads.

Digitaria sanguinalis, an example of the summer grass / crabgrass group. Confirm the species before matching a label.
Digitaria sanguinalis, an example of the summer grass / crabgrass group. Confirm the species before matching a label.
Photo: Rasbak · source · CC BY-SA 3.0. Displayed at reduced size; card crops fit the layout.

What to look for

  • Spreading clumps can lie flatter than the surrounding lawn.
  • Seed heads have several finger-like branches.
  • Leaf and stem features are needed to separate Digitaria species and other grass weeds.

Confirm it before you treat it

The photograph shows Digitaria sanguinalis as an example of the group. Product labels may name a particular species, so confirm the weed rather than using the image as a universal chemical match. Crowsfoot and paspalum have different features.

What to do next

  1. Remove young annual plants before seed return where practical.
  2. Maintain dense turf and repair thin, trafficked edges.
  3. Discuss pre-emergent timing before soils warm and seedlings emerge, rather than after a mature infestation develops.
Seasonal watch

Conditions matter more than dates.

Warm soil and suitable moisture favour annual grass-weed establishment. Bare ground creates an opportunity for seedlings.

Spring prevention planning leads into summer monitoring in temperate climates. Warmer regions can have earlier or longer germination periods.

Explore your region & month ↗

Will a broadleaf spray kill this grass weed?

Do not assume it will. Grass weeds require separate identification and grass-safe treatment advice.

Keep investigating

Similar problems. Different solutions.

Reviewed 10 October 2026 · Turfmate. Seasonal windows are indicative planning guidance, not measured outbreak or prevalence data.

Technical sources & image credits

Photos support identification and may have been taken outside Australia. Appearance varies with species, mowing and conditions. A Turfmate product link does not imply endorsement by a photographer or source.