Asian Crabgrass is an annual, sometimes perennial weed native to tropical Asia, Madagascar and Australia. This warm season lawn and garden weed germinates in the spring and grows through the summer producing seed. The seed germinates in the late winter to early spring. It has a ground-hugging clumping habit and can root in the ground at its leaf nodes making it very hard to pull up as it grows. To manage the weed, try to hand weed it when it is small before it has sent down secondary roots. Mulching garden beds can slow germination. It is killed off by frost.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 4 in. - 0 ft. 8 in. | Width: 0 ft. 3 in. - 2 ft. 6 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Ascending; Clumping; Prostrate; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Sheath
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Linear
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Narrow green grass-like leaves up to 6 inches long. Base is round with a pointed to tapering tip and serrated or wavy margins. There may be a few hairs at the base.
Flower color
Pink
Flower form
Insignificant; Raceme
Flower detail
Small flowers in racemes at leaf axils
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Achene; Caryopsis
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Achenes are winged with velvety hairs. May or may not be on a stalk.
Stem detail
Green hairless stem
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Tropical and Subtropical Asia, Australia, and Madagascar