Foxtail: identify it, treat it, keep it out
Foxtail is a summer annual grass named for its fuzzy, bottlebrush seed head. It germinates a little after crabgrass in spring, grows fast in thin or compacted areas, and its barbed seeds can be hazardous to dogs. Like crabgrass, it dies at frost and depends entirely on its seed bank.
How to identify foxtail
- Distinctive soft, bristly seed head shaped like a fox tail or bottlebrush from midsummer on
- Flat, wide blades, often with a spiral twist and hairy leaf edges near the base
- Upright clumps taller than the mowed lawn between cuts
- Shows up in compacted, droughty, or newly disturbed soil first
Don't confuse it: Before the seed head appears it is easily mistaken for crabgrass; foxtail grows more upright while crabgrass sprawls flat.
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When to treat
Prevention (pre-emergent)
Apply before germination, when soil reaches about 60°F.
Window: Late spring
Typical dates: Before soil reaches 60°F
Treatment (post-emergent)
Best time: Early summer
Target stage: Young plants (2-4 inches)
Conditions: Apply when weeds are dry · No rain for 24 hours · Temps below 90°F
Germination starts around 60°F soil temperature (optimal 75°F). Track your ZIP's live soil temperature or get an exact plan from the herbicide timing calculator.
Control plan
- 1Apply pre-emergent in late spring
- 2Control when young for best results
- 3Improve soil aeration to prevent establishment
- 4Use selective herbicides safe for your grass type
Good to know
- • Warm-season annual grass
- • Produces distinctive seed heads
- • Prefers compacted soil
- • Can be controlled with selective herbicides
Products that work on foxtail
These picks are not filtered to your lawn. Some herbicides damage certain grasses (atrazine is for warm-season lawns; Trimec harms St. Augustine). Verify your grass type on the product label before applying, or use the herbicide timing calculator for grass-filtered recommendations. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
pre-emergent
Prodiamine 65 WDG (Generic Barricade)
Prodiamine · Late winter to early spring, before soil reaches 55°F
Safe for: Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, Fine Fescue, Perennial Ryegrass and more
Prodiamine 65 WDG (Generic Barricade) on Amazonpre-emergent
Dimension 2EW
Dithiopyr · Late winter to early spring, before soil reaches 55°F
Safe for: Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, Fine Fescue, Perennial Ryegrass and more
Dimension 2EW on Amazonpre-emergent
Barricade 4FL
Prodiamine · Late winter to early spring
Safe for: Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, Fine Fescue, Perennial Ryegrass and more
Barricade 4FL on Amazonpost-emergent
Torocity Mesotrione (Generic Tenacity)
Mesotrione · Spring or summer when weeds are young
Safe for: Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, Fine Fescue, Perennial Ryegrass and more
Torocity Mesotrione (Generic Tenacity) on AmazonWhere it's most common
Frequently asked questions
Does crabgrass preventer stop foxtail?
Yes. The same pre-emergent actives (prodiamine, dithiopyr, pendimethalin) control foxtail when applied at the crabgrass window, around 55°F soil temperature in spring. One application typically covers both weeds.
Is foxtail dangerous for dogs?
The mature seed awns are barbed and can lodge in paws, ears, and noses and migrate inward. If you have dogs, mow seed heads off before they mature and remove plants along fence lines and paths.
How do I kill foxtail that is already up?
Young plants respond to quinclorac-based post-emergents, the same products used on crabgrass. Mature seeded plants are better mowed to prevent seed drop and prevented next spring, since frost will kill them regardless.
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