My dog, a 4-year-old whippet called Merlin, occasionally seems to select and eat goosegrass (Galium aparine) from a hedgerow, carefully pulling out stalks and ignoring the other plants surrounding it. Goosegrass (Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.) is a resilient and adaptable warm-season grassy weed believed to be native to Asia. It is now widely distributed around the globe and grows in most regions of the U.S., although it remains somewhat uncommon in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains.

Understanding the Context

Goosegrass, also known as crowfoot grass, is a weed that can invade lawns across the United States. Often confused with crabgrass, goosegrass can be treated with the proper tools and methods. Learn how to kill goosegrass in your yard with our step-by-step guide. Goosegrass is commonly found in highly trafficked areas with compacted soil and poor turfgrass cover.

Key Insights

Goosegrass is most easily identified by its whitish, flattened stem (folded vernation) and prostrate growth habit (Figures 1 and 4). Elusine indica, commonly known as goosegrass, is an annual weed that rears its ugly head once soil temperatures reach about 60°F (at four inches) and will stick around all summer if it’s allowed to. Goosegrass, also known as silver crabgrass, is a warm-season annual grass weed that infests golf course turf, athletic fields, lawns, parks, and institutional grounds. Identification: Goosegrass is a prostrate growing summer annual grass which forms a mat-like rosette. Its flattened leaf sheaths are typically a white to silver color, especially at the base of the leaf sheath.

Final Thoughts

Because of this coloration and its similarity to crabgrass some call it silver crabgrass. If you are tired of dealing with goosegrass on your lawn, our DIY goosegrass treatment guide will show you exactly what you need to do to get rid of it permanently. Goosegrass Control: How To Get Rid of Goosegrass | DIY Goosegrass ... What Is Goosegrass? Goosegrass (Eleusine indica), sometimes called silver crabgrass, crowfoot, or wiregrass, is a warm-season annual grass commonly found in the South. It thrives in compacted soils, making athletic fields, golf courses, and other high-traffic areas prime sites for infestation.

Goosegrass (Eleusine indica), also referred to as “silver crabgrass” or “wiregrass,” is a problematic annual grassy weed found in many turfgrass areas throughout Tennessee. Goosegrass has a long period of emergence throughout the Southeast, and late emerging plants of this fast growing weed can compete with the crop and build the seed bank. However, its germination is strongly promoted by tillage.