Crabgrass is a type of fast-growing weed that spreads across lawns like an uninvited guest at a party. It grows low to the ground with stems that branch out in all directions, looking a bit like crab legs, which is how it got its name. While regular grass grows upward in neat clumps, crabgrass sprawls outward, sending roots down wherever its stems touch the soil.

Gardeners and homeowners often consider crabgrass their enemy because it crowds out the grass they actually want in their yards. It thrives in hot summer weather when other grasses struggle, and a single crabgrass plant can produce thousands of seeds. Those seeds wait in the soil through winter, then sprout the next spring when temperatures warm up.

What makes crabgrass especially frustrating is how tough it is to remove. Pull one plant out, and dozens of seeds may already be waiting to replace it. People spend considerable time and money trying to prevent crabgrass from taking over their lawns.