A new grass everywhere this year

[greybeard]

Clump type grass. Thin leaves. Med dark green.
2-3-4 stems per plant, 12-24" tall with anywhere 5-13 seed heads each stalk. Very fast growing. Stems and seed heads reappear within 8 days of mowing down to 2". It was not here 2022,2023,2024 but is everywhere this year
Ruled out:
Bahia
Crab grass
Dallis grass.

I think 'maybe' Vassey Grass but I have never seen any that I know of. I have straightened this clump out some but reality is the leaves do not grow very upright

 

[504RP]

Am pretty sure I see that grass pretty frequently and there is a creek here named Vassey Grass. I would guess that there was Vassey grass that grew along it and might be why it was called Vassey grass creek ?

 

[fnfarms1]

The seed head looks like crabgrass to me.

 

[greybeard]

The seed head looks like crabgrass to me.

The crabgrass we've always had here had wide leaves and only 3-5 spikelets of seeds. These leaves resemble Bermuda but longer. Way more narrow than crab or dallis grass. Everyone in my area is familiar with crabgrass and wondering what this 'new' intruder is. In ditches, yards,pastures, along the roadways.

 

[coachg]

Do you have a county extension office ? Or can you send it to Texas A&M or some other school with an ag department ?

 

[Brute 23]

Looks like KR Bluestem.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Wild lookin seed head.

 

[Mrcopier]

We have tons of that Not sure what it's called

 

[greybeard]

Different pics of the same grass.




Seedheads spread out

 

[Philip-TX]

Looks like KR Bluestem.

X2 ^^

 

[bird dog]

Agree with the others that its KR. Its having a banner year with all the rain so mother mature seems to want it to put out gobs of seed early to take advantage of the conditions.

Plants of Texas Rangelands » King Ranch Bluestem

 

[TdJ]

Different pics of the same grass.




Seedheads spread out
View attachment 58930

Tumble Windmill Grass according to my book. KR seems to have different spikelet presentation but similar.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Crabgrass as its known here.

Cows eat it up. I've still got several bales from last year

 

[greybeard]

It is NOT crab grass. The grass I'm seeing nd have pictured has a rather narrow blade and very clumpy. Below, are various different kinds of crabgrass. As you can see, it spreads out and has a wide blade.



I very much think it is KR bluestem, tho some of it may be windmill grass. But all the windmill grasses I have ever seen, the entire seedhead breaks off, allowing all the spikelets at once to go skipping along the road, bare ground or on top of water. So far, I have not seen that happen.

 

[fnfarms1]

Different pics of the same grass.
View attachment 58928

View attachment 58929

Seedheads spread out
View attachment 58930

That one does look more like bermuda

 

[Silver]

Could this be it? Google points me this way

File:Bothriochloa ischaemum - yellow bluestem - Flickr - Matt Lavin (5).jpg - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

 

[Silver]

Could this be it? Google points me this way

File:Bothriochloa ischaemum - yellow bluestem - Flickr - Matt Lavin (5).jpg - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

 

[MurraysMutts]

It is NOT crab grass. The grass I'm seeing nd have pictured has a rather narrow blade and very clumpy. Below, are various different kinds of crabgrass. As you can see, it spreads out and has a wide blade.

View attachment 59141

I very much think it is KR bluestem, tho some of it may be windmill grass. But all the windmill grasses I have ever seen, the entire seedhead breaks off, allowing all the spikelets at once to go skipping along the road, bare ground or on top of water. So far, I have not seen that happen.

This is what I've always thought of when I think crabgrass!!

When they first told me we were cutting crabgrass hay, I thought this is the funniest looking crabgrass I've ever seen. Looks just like your first posted pics.

Now that I've looked again tho, the bottom middle pic may be it

 

[Allenw]

The top picture looks like some type of old world bluestem. It will grow stupid crazy when you have moisture and not much when dry. The seed head picture looks like windmill grass, both will take hold on bare or thin spots.

 

[worldsgreatestlover]

That is king ranch bluestem. Spread in the 1950s by the txdot seeding roadside. A popular grass at the time. Not so much anymore. A hated invader of Bermuda hayfields.