Child Item

Need help identifying weed in Sir Walter buffalo lawn

Can I have some assistance identifying this weed? I have sir Walter buffalo grass that was laid in April. I have had issues with weeds prior but have tried spot treating, Yates Buffalo Pro weed n feed and regular Manuel removal

of weeds which has controlled the weeds greatly. With all this wet and humid weather in Sydney, I have now got these weeds amongst the usual grass weeds. I have just applied the same Yates Buffalo Pro weed n feed again about. But these seem to be popping up and spreading. they are difficult to pull as they are spiky and are hard to remove from the root
What are these weeds?

What product will assist getting rid of them?

Find more posts tagged with

Gardening

Planting and Growing

Lawn

Comments

MitchellMc

Hi @concettina,

I love this question, as you'll be relieved to know that it's not, in fact, a weed but the seed head of Sir Walter Buffalo. It's easy to assume it's a weed as Buffalo lawn can go for years without producing them or might not at all. No need to worry, and just concentrate on getting rid of other weeds in your lawn.

Hope that helps, and please let me know if you have questions.

Mitchell

concettina

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/32251#Comment_32251

Oh this is great to hear. I was a little bamboozled as they had little purple parts! Is it normal that it is sporadic. I mean there is quite a lot that stand higher than the normal grass length.
I have also come across this on the council strip that looks the same but with actual purple leaves/ petals ( a little blurred in the foreground of the image)

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/78542#Comment_78542

I'm not entirely convinced the ones in that new image are the same; they're perhaps actual weeds that look similar @concettina. The Buffalo seed pods typically grow only around 10cm tall, standing above the grass blade height, but are not as upstanding as those in this image.

It's perfectly normal for them to be sporadic; as far as I know, their production involves some specific stimuli. You might see two separate Buffalo lawns next to each other on different properties; one will have them, and the other will not. My father-in-law's lawn has them, and my brother-in-law has never seen them on his lawn in 15 years. You might get a few pop up here and there, or the entire lawn might be filled with them. I am under the impression, though it could be an urban myth, that this is why you don't see Buffalo seed on the shelves of stores; apparently, this sporadic growth of the seed pods makes it unviable to cultivate the grass purely for seed collection.

Mitchell

Child Item