Identification and Control of Southern Sandbur (Cenchrus echinatus L.) in Hayfields

Southern sandbur is an annual grass that grows in pastures and cropland throughout the warm areas of the southern United States from Virginia to California. This native grass is adapted to dry, sandy soils and has a shallow, fibrous root system. It can easily invade a poorly managed field, diminishing the quality of a hay crop or grazing pasture. Southern sandbur seeds start to germinate in late spring, and germination continues through the summer and fall. Flowering occurs in late fall, and growth is consistent until the first frost. This 2-page fact sheet was written by Hunter Smith, Jason Ferrell, and Brent Sellers, and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, December 2012. SS-AGR-364/AG373: Identification and Control of Southern Sandbur (Cenchrus echinatus L.) in Hayfields (ufl.edu)