Bahiagrass

What it looks like

Light green, coarse-textured patches with an open, ragged look compared to turf around it. Leaves are tough and stiff. In summer it sends up a distinctive seedhead that splits into two branches, forming a Y shape.

Often mistaken for: Other coarse perennial grassy weeds like dallisgrass

When it shows up in the Triangle

It's a perennial, so it's present year-round, but you'll notice the tell-tale seedheads most in summer.

Where you’ll see it

Shows up in home lawns, especially thin or open turf and areas near roadsides.

What you can do

• Hand-dig isolated clumps, making sure to remove the rhizome mass underneath
• Mow frequently to keep seedheads from forming and spreading
• Keep your lawn thick and healthy through proper mowing, watering, and fertility to slow new spread
• Understand that thick turf alone won't eliminate existing patches - digging is needed