Type of Weed: Grassy Weed
Bromus catharticus
Rescuegrass
Rescuegrass is a cool-season annual grassy weed that thrives in the cold, dry weather of winter and early spring before plants die back in the summer heat.
This bunching-type weed is common throughout most of the southern United States and is often found in lawns, golf courses, sports fields, and pastures.
Its name derives from its ability to provide good forage to “rescue” grazing animals during cold, dry spells.
Rescuegrass is hardy and can survive in droughts and a variety of environments and temperatures making control of this lawn weed somewhat challenging.
How to Identify
Rescuegrass grows in clumps with rounded green stems consisting of hairy sheaths and blades. Mature plants are topped with flattened, seed-bearing spikelets and can grow up to 3 feet tall. This lawn weeds reproduces and spreads via seeds and by remnants of its root structure.
Control Methods
Control Difficulty: Moderate
Due to the adaptability and hardy nature of rescuegrass, traditional control methods such as hand pulling or mowing are generally ineffective. This grassy weed can spread via seeds and root remnants and can survive both drought and cold temperatures. Some post-emergent herbicides can be effective at removing established rescuegrass, but they should be applied while the plants are still immature and growing. To stop the spread of rescuegrass, professionally applied herbicide treatments are recommended.
Due to the adaptability and hardy nature of rescuegrass, traditional control methods such as hand pulling or mowing are generally ineffective. This grassy weed can spread via seeds and root remnants and can survive both drought and cold temperatures. Some post-emergent herbicides can be effective at removing established rescuegrass, but they should be applied while the plants are still immature and growing. To stop the spread of rescuegrass, professionally applied herbicide treatments are recommended.
Prevention Tips
The best course of action against rescuegrass is preventative applications of pre-emergent herbicides. These should be applied early in the fall and a second treatment may be necessary. A professional lawn care technician will be the best judge of when your yard will need to be treated, so contact a local lawn care company for proper weed prevention.
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