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hairy crabgrass

Poaceae

hairy crabgrass: Ground Cover Plant

Digitaria sanguinalis

Easy ☀ïļ Direct sun ðŸū Pet safe

An extremely hardy opportunistic annual that thrives in full sun and well-drained to moderately moist soils across a wide range of conditions. It requires minimal care once established, grows rapidly through summer, and is killed by frost in autumn. Historically cultivated as a grain crop in Eastern Europe, it is now primarily managed as a lawn and crop weed.

💧 Watering

Every 4 days

☀ïļ Light

Direct sun

ðŸŒĄïļ Temperature

-2° - 38°C

ðŸ’Ļ Humidity

20% - 80%

Categories

What is hairy crabgrass?

hairy crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) is a easy-care plant from the Poaceae family. Digitaria sanguinalis is a summer-annual weedy grass native to Eurasia, now naturalized worldwide, belonging to family Poaceae. It develops several branching, hairy stems from the base that sprawl horizontally and root at nodes, bearing linear leaves 3–6 inches long with hairy sheaths. The infloresc...

hairy crabgrass grows up to 60cm, spread of 90cm, watering every 4 days, -2°C – 38°C, 20–80% humidity. It is not suitable for indoor environments and safe for pets.

Unlike many tropical plants, hairy crabgrass tolerates watering mistakes. Best for beginners. Unlike many popular species, hairy crabgrass is safe to keep around pets.

How to Care for hairy crabgrass?

TLDR: hairy crabgrass needs Direct sun, watering every 4 days, and temperatures between -2-38°C with 20-80% humidity.

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How Often Should You Water hairy crabgrass?

Water approximately 1 inch per week during the growing season, allowing the soil to partially dry between waterings. Once established, hairy crabgrass tolerates drought well and requires significantly reduced watering.

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How Much Light Does hairy crabgrass Need?

Requires full sun with at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight per day for optimal growth. It cannot tolerate shade and will be outcompeted by taller plants or dense turfgrass that blocks light.

ðŸŠī

What Is the Best Soil for hairy crabgrass?

Thrives in a wide range of soil types from sandy to clay loam with good drainage. Prefers moderately fertile soil with pH 5.5–7.5; amending with compost improves establishment but is not required given its weed-like adaptability.

Care Schedule

ðŸŒą

Fertilize

Every 30 days

What Is hairy crabgrass and Where Does It Come From?

Digitaria sanguinalis is a summer-annual weedy grass native to Eurasia, now naturalized worldwide, belonging to family Poaceae. It develops several branching, hairy stems from the base that sprawl horizontally and root at nodes, bearing linear leaves 3–6 inches long with hairy sheaths. The inflorescence consists of up to nine long, radiating finger-like raceme spikes bearing tiny spikelets that may appear reddish or purplish at maturity.

How to Propagate hairy crabgrass?

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How Big Does hairy crabgrass Grow?

TLDR: hairy crabgrass can reach up to 60cm tall with Fast growth rate.

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Max height

60cm

↔ïļ

Spread

90cm

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Growth rate

Fast

🍃

Foliage

Deciduous

Plant Uses

ðŸ―ïļ

Edible

Can be consumed

ðŸŒŋ

Ground Cover

Soil coverage

💊

Medicinal Uses

  • Decoction of whole plant traditionally used to treat gonorrhoea
  • Folk remedy for cataracts in traditional medicine
  • Used to address general debility and weakness
  • Reported emetic properties in traditional medicine
  • Historical use in Chinese traditional medicine dating to ~2700 BC
ðŸ―ïļ

Culinary Uses

  • Seeds ground into fine white flour suitable for bread and semolina
  • Cooked in soups and porridges (traditional Eastern European use)
  • Toasted and used as a grain substitute
  • Fermented to make beer or alcoholic beverages
  • Seeds used as animal fodder with high protein content (12–19% dry matter)

Is your plant showing symptoms?

Click on the symptom to discover possible causes:

What Diseases Commonly Affect hairy crabgrass?

TLDR: hairy crabgrass is susceptible to 5 known diseases. Monitor regularly for early detection.

Leaf Spot

Medium

Leaf spot is a common fungal disease caused by various pathogens including Alternaria, Ascochyta, Colletotrichum, Septoria, and Venturia. It primarily affects leaves, causing discolored spots that can lead to premature leaf drop if left untreated.

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Rust

Medium

Rust is a common fungal disease caused by fungi in the order Pucciniales that affects a wide variety of plants. The disease gets its name from the characteristic orange, yellow, or reddish-brown pustules that appear on leaves, resembling metal rust. This obligate fungal parasite requires living plants to survive and can cause significant economic losses in agricultural crops.

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Downy Mildew

High

Downy mildew is a fungal-like disease caused by oomycetes (water molds) that thrives in cool, wet conditions. It affects a wide range of plants, causing yellowing leaves with fuzzy white-gray growth underneath, leading to defoliation and reduced yields if left untreated.

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Root Rot

High

Root rot is a serious fungal disease that affects the root system of plants, causing them to decay and die. It is primarily caused by overwatering, poor drainage, or soil-borne fungi such as Pythium, Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium. The disease thrives in waterlogged conditions where roots are deprived of oxygen, making them susceptible to fungal infection.

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Sources & References

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