Help identifying…

tony – posted 27 May 2005 17:16

http://img264.echo.cx/img264/731/img2807copy4sm.jpg

http://img264.echo.cx/img264/6691/img2808copy4oq.jpg

I live in Fort Lauderdale and this stuff is taking over my yard. I’ve found pictures of torpedo grass that seemed to resemble this, but I thought torpedo grew near ponds and lakes. Anyone know what this is (and what to do to help control it)?

Thx!

Tony

ted – posted 27 May 2005 18:26

gee, it kind of looks like st. augustine to me????

seed – posted 28 May 2005 12:34

Absolutely, St. Augustinegrass

What’s going on in the first photo is that the St. Augustine stolon is not rooting down right away, and there is enough cell elongation within the internodes to elevate it, so it forms a looper. Why it didn’t root firmly right away may have several explanations. This is reportedly a seasonal phenomenon, in some instances possibly attributable to insects or snails eating the young roots, but in other instances mitotic inhibiting preemergence herbicides, especially the dinitroanilines such as pendimethalin, have been the possible cause. Really, I don’t think anyone knows what causes this in most instances.

Phil

Alex_in_FL – posted 21 June 2005 18:20

Actually it did not root properly because it was not growing across concrete first. St Augustine will ignore perfectly good soil if there is any vacant concrete nearby. Driveways and sidewalks are very attractive to St Augustine.