- Latin Name: Panicum Dichotomiflorum
- Latin Family Name: Poaceae
- Common Name: Fall Panicum
- Other Names: Western witchgrass, smooth witchgrass, sprouting crabgrass, Fall panicgrass, autumn millet
Origin:
Native to central and eastern United States, now spread throughout the western states as well.
Biology:
A summer annual grass which propagates by seed. Seeds germinate in mid to late spring. Where the lower stem nodes touch the soil it will also develop roots, creating a much thicker bunch for an individual plant. An aggressive weed species, now widespread in cropland and pastures, as well as turf and landscape and roadside areas.
Identification:
Mature plants grow to 3 feet tall, and have stems that are noticeably bent at their bases. Stems also have a waxy appearance. Leaves are smooth on upper and lower surfaces, but are dull above and shiny on the under surface, and around ¾ inch wide. At the base of the leaf there is a ligule composed of a dense ring of white hairs. Seed heads are loose, open panicles that form at the end of the stem, with numerous thin lateral branches. The panicles become somewhat purplish as they mature. Seeds are produced singly along the branches.
Characteristics Important to Control:
Seeds germinate throughout the spring and summer.
