Large crabgrass
Discuss this plant with the guide — choose this profile as a possible match and prepare your observations for Colorado Plants & Practical Care.
Digitaria sanguinalis
Common introduced weed · not on state Lists A/B/C. C-floristic-2020 CO-rules-2025
Fast seed production in thin lawns. Exposure help.
Identification caveat: One source photograph is labeled Digitaria sanguinalis subsp. pectiniformis; that label is preserved, without asserting its occurrence in Colorado.
Still researching this plant
This is a sourced working profile. Evidence is incomplete for People, Dogs & cats, Other animals. Identification and source-photo limits are explained below. Independent botanical and veterinary review is pending. Uncertainty is not a finding that the plant is safe.
Three views of this plant
Source-identified reference photographs; these are not a complete identification key. A source location outside Colorado does not establish local occurrence.
Rasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
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Source page scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference image, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Source-identified D. sanguinalis. The inflorescence photo is explicitly labeled D. sanguinalis subsp. pectiniformis and retains that source wording. Similar crabgrasses require detailed hair, ligule, and spikelet characters for an unknown specimen; these references do not determine a Colorado specimen’s subspecies.
Wikimedia server-resized derivative, reduced from the original; no crop, color change, upscaling, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop.
Rasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
.jpg){kind=link}
Source page scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference image, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Source-identified D. sanguinalis. The inflorescence photo is explicitly labeled D. sanguinalis subsp. pectiniformis and retains that source wording. Similar crabgrasses require detailed hair, ligule, and spikelet characters for an unknown specimen; these references do not determine a Colorado specimen’s subspecies.
Wikimedia server-resized derivative, reduced from the original; no crop, color change, upscaling, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop.
Stefan.lefnaer · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source page scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference image, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Source-identified D. sanguinalis. The inflorescence photo is explicitly labeled D. sanguinalis subsp. pectiniformis and retains that source wording. Similar crabgrasses require detailed hair, ligule, and spikelet characters for an unknown specimen; these references do not determine a Colorado specimen’s subspecies.
Wikimedia server-resized derivative, reduced from the original; no crop, color change, upscaling, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop.
Identification
A summer annual grass with sprawling stems that root at joints, hairy leaf bases and fingerlike seedhead branches. This profile covers large crabgrass; the common name also includes other Digitaria species. N-digitaria-sanguinalis C-descriptions
People
The reviewed sources do not establish species-specific ingestion effects or a safe exposure amount for people. Missing evidence does not establish safety.
Dogs & cats
The reviewed sources do not establish species-specific ingestion effects or a safe exposure amount for dogs or cats. Missing evidence does not establish safety.
Other animals
The reviewed sources do not establish species-specific ingestion effects or a safe exposure amount for livestock. Missing evidence does not establish safety.
Plants & habitat
It colonizes disturbed soil and lawns. Its ability to root along spreading stems helps it occupy bare patches. N-digitaria-sanguinalis
Management & timing
Remove seedlings before extensive rooting and seed production. Mulch garden beds and maintain dense turf; frost kills the annual plant, but surviving seeds can start another generation. N-digitaria-sanguinalis
Before taking action
Confirm identification and the requirements of your county weed program. For chemical treatment, follow the current product label, including restrictions around animals and water. S27
References
- C-floristic-2020 — Colorado Floristic Quality Assessment: 2020 Update, Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University. Accessed 2026-09-07T02:27:33+00:00. Locator: Appendix B, Colorado species list: scientific name and native/non-native fields.
- CO-rules-2025 — Colorado Noxious Weed Act rules, 8 CCR 1206-2, Colorado Secretary of State / Department of Agriculture. Accessed 2026-09-07T01:07:48+00:00. Locator: Parts 3.1, 4.1, 5.1; management provisions; effective May 15, 2025.
- N-digitaria-sanguinalis — Digitaria sanguinalis, NC State Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T02:23:11+00:00. Locator: Description, identification attributes and plant problems; toxicity section where present.
- C-descriptions — Weed descriptions, Colorado State University Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:24:02+00:00. Locator: Species entries.
- S27 — 2103 – Colorado Noxious Weeds, PlantTalk Colorado · CSU Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:57+00:00. Locator: List A, B and C management categories.