Wavyleaf Basketgrass
It is an invasive species and will take over your lawn in as little as a month. Recently we had to deal with a large patch of Wavyleaf Basketgrass and we wanted to share our experience since its been seen on multiple lawns within the Grove.
What is it?
1) This invasive weed grows in dense patches in wooded natural areas preventing the growth of native plants and trees.
2) The grass spreads quickly by stolons and seeds. It will take over your entire lawn and spread to your neighbor's lawn.
3) It has a seed that will attach to shoes, pets, lawnmowers, etc to spread.
4) It grows close to the ground and will spread out in large areas and make many off shoots from the original shoot.
5) Because it has a broad covering, it will take over the lawn and kill the grass, leaving nothing but Wavyleaf Basketgrass.
How did I get rid of it?
1) I hand pulled it from the area in my lawn where it was growing.
2) I regularly look at my lawn every week to see if there are new areas sprouting up.
What can you do if you have found it in your lawn or to prevent it from starting?
1) Contact your lawn treatment company about it.
2) Hand pull areas
3) Keep vigilant to stop it from spreading
It will be hard to keep under control since many homes use the same lawn mowing services. Since the grass (Oplismenus undulatifolius) can spread by attaching to lawn equipment you need to keep an eye on your entire lawn for any growth.
Resources:
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
University of Florida
Pennsylvania State University - College of Agricultural Sciences
A Gainesville lawn care service Company.
Go to the time of 2:12 in the video
