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Smooth Crabgrass

Digitaria ischaemum

Found in fields, lawns, disturbed areas. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 59%

Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

At a glance

Life cycle
Annual
Bloom
July to November

Not yet recorded · Height · Spread · Leaves

This plant is missing most of its facts, so Quercus is looking them up in old botany books.

Recorded in 6 West Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

23CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Digitaria

  • Abagrotis magnicupidaOne-Dotted Dart
  • Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
  • Anicla infectaGreen Cutworm Moth
  • Atalopedes huronSachem
  • Dargida rubripennisThe Pink-Streak
  • Fissicrambus mutabilisStriped Webworm, Striped Sodworm, Changeable Grass-Veneer
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • Hesperia sassacusIndian Skipper
  • Hylephila phyleusFiery Skipper
  • Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
Show all 23
  • Leucania ursulaUrsula Wainscot
  • Lon zabulonZabulon Skipper
  • Maliattha synochitisBlack-Dotted Lithacodia, Black-Dotted Glyph, Brass-Dotted Grass Moth
  • Marimatha nigrofimbriaBlack-Bordered Lemon
  • Mocis latipesSmall Mocis, Striped Grass Looper
  • Mocis texanaTexas Mocis
  • Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
  • Polites themistoclesTawny-Edged Skipper
  • Protodeltote muscosulaLarge Mossy Lithacodia, Large Mossy Glyph, Large Mossy Grass Moth
  • Redectis vitreaWhite-Spotted Redactis
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Trichordestra legitimaStriped Garden Caterpillar Moth
  • Xestia smithiiSmith's Dart
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
21BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Digitaria

  • Agelaius phoeniceusRed-winged Blackbird
  • Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
  • Calcarius lapponicusLapland Longspur
  • Calcarius pictusSmith's Longspur
  • Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
  • Colinus virginianusNorthern Bobwhite
  • Columba liviaRock Pigeon
  • Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
  • Melospiza melodiaSong Sparrow
  • Melozone crissalisCalifornia Towhee
Show all 21
  • Molothrus aterBrown-headed Cowbird
  • Peucaea aestivalisBachman's Sparrow
  • Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting
  • Porzana carolinaSora
  • Quiscalus quisculaCommon Grackle
  • Spizella passerinaChipping Sparrow
  • Spizella pusillaField Sparrow
  • Sturnus vulgarisEuropean Starling
  • Tympanuchus pallidicinctusLesser Prairie-Chicken
  • Vireo belliiBell's Vireo
  • Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Poaceae

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Conservation status

West Virginia rankSNA
Global rankGNR
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Native alternatives

Find natives for your garden

Sources