Digit grass (Digitaria patens)
Care, watering, light and tips for Digit grass on Floravia.
Quick facts
- Family: Poaceae
- Difficulty: Demanding
- Watering: every 7 days
- Light: Partial shade
- Temperature: 10–30 °C
About Digit grass
Digitaria patens, commonly known as Texas crabgrass, is an annual grass native to the southern United States and Mexico. It features branched stems that grow prostrate or ascending, with lanceolate leaves and a distinctive digitate spike inflorescence. While often considered a weed in cultivated lawns, its resilience makes it interesting for revegetation studies in arid areas or as forage in pastures.
Native range
North and South America
Care tips
This grass thrives in full sun and tolerates a wide range of soil types, flourishing even in poor, dry soils. Watering should be minimal once established, as it is very drought-tolerant. It does not require regular fertilization; in fact, excess nutrients can encourage its unwanted spread. A common mistake to avoid is confusing it with a desirable ornamental plant, as its weedy nature can be problematic in controlled gardens.
How to save a dying Digit grass
- Warning signs
- Yellowish or reddish leaves, slow or no growth, deformed seed heads.
- First aid
- Ensure good drainage, reduce watering if soil is waterlogged, improve soil aeration.
- What kills it
- Soil compaction, lack of essential nutrients, or extreme moisture.
- Can it be saved?
- Yes, if you act quickly to amend soil and watering. It's quite resilient.