Japanese Stiltgrass

What it looks like

Low-growing grass with broad, short leaves and a silvery stripe that's slightly off-center down the middle. Stems look like they're propped up on little stilts. After frost it turns light tan and can hang around through winter.

Often mistaken for: Crabgrass or other low, spreading grassy weeds

When it shows up in the Triangle

Shows up earlier in spring than crabgrass, especially in shady areas, and keeps dropping seed from mid-September into October.

Where you’ll see it

Shows up along shaded, moist lawn edges and in garden beds more than in open sunny turf.

What you can do

• Hand-pull it while the soil is moist — roots are shallow and it comes up easily
• Pull it before it sets seed to keep it from spreading further
• Let more light into shaded areas where feasible
• Avoid disturbing soil, since that exposes buried seed and helps it spread