Help me identify this grass.

[Green Creek]

We have finished with a three year program to bring a farm up to soil test but this summer a low growing, dark purple grass has invaded. The leaf is smooth and shiny and the entire plant wasn't six or eight inches tall until it headed out for seed. I have called the extension office but can't get anyone until tomorrow and I thought some of you might have an idea. There has also been an invasion of small foxtail all over the county this year and everyone has had a bumper crop of weeds. Strange year.

 

[dun]

We have finished with a three year program to bring a farm up to soil test but this summer a low growing, dark purple grass has invaded. The leaf is smooth and shiny and the entire plant wasn't six or eight inches tall until it headed out for seed. I have called the extension office but can't get anyone until tomorrow and I thought some of you might have an idea. There has also been an invasion of small foxtail all over the county this year and everyone has had a bumper crop of weeds. Strange year.

Grab the seed head and let it slip through your fingers. They'll probably come off feeling greasy. If so, it's grease grass aka purple top. Has about as much value as broomsedge, but the cows wqn't eat it anyway.

http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_trfl2.pdf

 

[Green Creek]

Thanks for the link. I had looked at another site that described purpletop but this stuff has deep purple leaves and purpletop descriptions say it has green glossy leaves. Our cows won't touch the stuff and we need to figure out how to get rid of it. The link you gave me gave instructions on how to seed it and preserve it indefinitely. Said it was good forage. Surely it can't be the same but stranger things have happened.


Quote="dun"]

We have finished with a three year program to bring a farm up to soil test but this summer a low growing, dark purple grass has invaded. The leaf is smooth and shiny and the entire plant wasn't six or eight inches tall until it headed out for seed. I have called the extension office but can't get anyone until tomorrow and I thought some of you might have an idea. There has also been an invasion of small foxtail all over the county this year and everyone has had a bumper crop of weeds. Strange year.

Grab the seed head and let it slip through your fingers. They'll probably come off feeling greasy. If so, it's grease grass aka purple top. Has about as much value as broomsedge, but the cows wqn't eat it anyway.

http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_trfl2.pdf[/quote]

 

[Bluestem]

Doesn't sound like purple top to me. Purple top refers to the seed head, which looks a lot like johnson grass, except for the purple color. My experience has been that cows love it. And in fact will over graze it.
A picture would make it easier to solve.

 

[milesvb]

Doesn't sound like purple top to me. Purple top refers to the seed head, which looks a lot like johnson grass, except for the purple color. My experience has been that cows love it. And in fact will over graze it.
A picture would make it easier to solve.

Same here. The only place it can establish itself on our place is across the fence that keeps the cattle out of the creek bottom. Purple top isn't all that short either and grows like a bunchgrass that has somewhat flattened leave clusters.

 

[Green Creek]

I'll try to get a picture. Right now I have a bum knee and hobbling around in the pasture doesn't sound like fun.

 

[dun]

Doesn't sound like purple top to me. Purple top refers to the seed head, which looks a lot like johnson grass, except for the purple color. My experience has been that cows love it. And in fact will over graze it.
A picture would make it easier to solve.

All of our WSG are turning purple in the lef now. Greasegerass, big and little blue, indiangrass and even the crabgrass.