Smooth Crabgrass

What it looks like

Grows in low, tight clumps that spread flat along the ground, with smooth, hairless leaves and a purple tint at the base. The seedhead looks like thin fingers spreading out from one point.

Often mistaken for: Large crabgrass (hairier, burgundy stems) or goosegrass (silver, flattened crown)

When it shows up in the Triangle

Shows up in spring once soil warms, roughly February through March in the Triangle, and keeps spreading through summer.

Where you’ll see it

Common in thin or bare spots in both cool-season and warm-season home lawns.

What you can do

• Mow at the right height for your grass type—don't scalp it
• Avoid heavy nitrogen feedings in summer
• Water deeply but less often instead of light daily watering
• Overseed or thicken up thin, bare patches so crabgrass has less room to move in
• Pull small patches by hand while they're young if you catch them early