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Paspalum conjugatum
Also called Crab Grass, Hilo Grass, Johnston Grass, Buffalo Grass, Carabao Grass, Sour Grass, Sour Paspalum
Hilograss (Paspalum conjugatum) is a creeping, stoloniferous perennial grass from tropical America that is now widespread across tropical Southeast Asia and the Pacific. It thrives in moist, warm conditions and spreads quickly by stolons, so it is usually grown outdoors as a lawn or ground cover or treated as a weed.
Paspalum conjugatum, commonly known as carabao grass or hilo grass, is a tropical to subtropical perennial grass. It is originally from the American tropics, but has been naturalized widely in tropical Southeast Asia and Pacific Islands. It has also spread to Northern Africa and Northern Eastern Australia, and New Zealand. It is also known as sour paspalum, T-grass (after the shape of their panicle), or more confusingly, as "buffalo grass" or "sour grass".
Paspalum conjugatum is native to the tropics of the Americas. It was introduced to tropical Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands during the colonial period. It is particularly abundant in the Philippines from where the English common name "carabao grass" originates (named after the carabao, the local water buffalo breed); and in Hawaii where it is known as "hilo grass". They have also spread to Northern Africa and Northern and Eastern Australia. In New Zealand, P. conjugatum is naturalised in 1977, and is found on the Kermadec Islands, and in one location on the mainland (near Rotorua).
Paspalum azuayense · Paspalum batianoffii · Pitchfork crowngrass · Blodgett's crowngrass · Paspalum canarae · Paspalum ceresia · Dallisgrass · Knotgrass · Florida paspalum · Field paspalum · Bahiagrass · Brownseed paspalum
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Paspalum conjugatum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
