# Hairy Crabgrass (*Digitaria sanguinalis*)

Hairy Crabgrass is a green plant that grows close to the ground. It has soft, hairy leaves and can spread quickly in gardens and lawns.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![Hairy Crabgrass](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Harig_vingergras_plant_%28Digitaria_sanguinalis%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Rasbak, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harig_vingergras_plant_%28Digitaria_sanguinalis%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The Hairy Crabgrass has broad, dull green leaves covered in tiny, soft hairs, especially near the base, giving it a fuzzy feel. Its stems often root at the nodes and grow low to the ground, with distinctive finger-like seed heads branching out from a central point, typically purplish-green.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Poales
- **Family:** Poaceae
- **Genus:** Digitaria

## Interesting facts

- A single Hairy Crabgrass plant can produce over 150,000 seeds in one season!
- Before it was a common weed, its seeds were ground into flour by ancient peoples!
- Its seeds can stay dormant in the soil for years, waiting for the perfect moment to sprout!
- This grass is so tough, it can grow through cracks in concrete sidewalks!

## Special abilities

- **Rooting Runner:** Hairy Crabgrass can root along its stems where they touch the ground, creating new plants and spreading quickly.
- **Seed Sprinkler:** Hairy Crabgrass produces thousands of tiny seeds per plant, ensuring new growth even if the parent plant is removed.
- **Drought Dodger:** Hairy Crabgrass has a strong, fibrous root system that helps it find water and survive dry spells when other plants wilt.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-60 cm
- **Spread:** 30-100 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [House Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-sparrow) (*Passer domesticus*) — eats the plant's abundant seeds
- **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — grazes on its leafy foliage
- **Eaten by:** Mallard (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — forages for its small seeds

## Traits

- [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.
- [Invasive](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/invasive): Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always check with an adult before touching or picking plants.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Hairy Crabgrass?

Compare seed heads, stem shape, how leaves attach, and the joint where leaf meets stem. A patch of mown lawn rarely shows enough for an exact ID. Grass Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Hairy Crabgrass?

10-60 cm

### How wide does Hairy Crabgrass spread?

30-100 cm

### When does Hairy Crabgrass bloom?

Summer

### Is Hairy Crabgrass edible?

Yes

### Is Hairy Crabgrass toxic?

None

### What is Hairy Crabgrass's lifecycle?

Annual

### How is Hairy Crabgrass pollinated?

Wind

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

---

Source: [Hairy Crabgrass: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hairy-crabgrass)