What type of grass/weed is this?

Jul 28, 2013 08:42:07

We are in the mountains of East Tennessee (Newport area) and this grass/weed is growing in spots throughout the property. We've also seen this poking through a nearby country gravel road. It's very soft and does not seem to grow much taller than what is shown in the picture. Does anyone know what type of grass/weed this is?

Jul 28, 2013 08:44:35

Here is the same patch from another angle.

Jul 28, 2013 08:47:01

Looks like the carpetgrass that we use in warmer regions of the South. Is it not common in your area? Maybe too cool?

Jul 28, 2013 08:52:07

I think it is fairly common in this area because we are seeing it in a lot of different spots. We want to replant it in an area where grass does't grow well since it seems to be very hardy. We have been unable to grow any other type of grass on the side of a hill but thought this might be a good option.

Jul 28, 2013 08:58:18

Kimberly Koester wrote:I think it is fairly common in this area because we are seeing it in a lot of different spots. We want to replant it in an area where grass does't grow well since it seems to be very hardy. We have been unable to grow any other type of grass on the side of a hill but thought this might be a good option.

I use a mix of carpetgrass, bahiagrass, and browntop millet to reseed where the chickens have scratched the grass to oblivion. You might want to see how that works.

Jul 28, 2013 09:00:24

Is there any chance this could be Bahia grass?

Jul 28, 2013 09:03:40

John, thank you so much. That is definitely worth a try! Thank you for the tip!

Jul 28, 2013 09:06:35

Kimberly Koester wrote:Is there any chance this could be Bahia grass?

Bahiagrass puts out a distinctive seed stalk that is a foot or more tall with little black bits on it.

Carpetgrass seed stalks lay close to the ground.

Jul 28, 2013 09:15:06

OK, it's definitely not Bahia grass then. No stalks that we have seen. And now that I look at carpet grass I think what we have is more dense than the pictures posted online.

Jul 28, 2013 18:48:11

Does it have purple (or some shade of red) flowers?
If so I have them too but but in my lawn they are too weak only in my "disturb area" aka the garden.

Jul 28, 2013 20:13:12

I don't think that's a grass at all. My bet is it's a "Wandering Jew" relative, like this:

http://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/weeds/Images/herbs/Commelina%20cyanea4.jpg

Or perhaps another relative, the Tradescantia.

http://www.florafinder.com/LargePhotos/D8/Tradescantia_virginiana-430DA2D568.jpg

You'll have to see what the blooms look like. If the stems are fleshy, I have something similar in my yard.

Jul 29, 2013 04:08:29

I agree with David Goodman . We have quite a bit of that around . Wait for the flowers.

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