Buffalo grass. Stenotaphrum secundatum
Native to America and Africa
Buffalo grass has been used extensively for gardens.
A robust plant which can tolerate salt spray and drought. Buffalo grass forms dense mats of intertwining rhizomes and stolons which prevents native plants from becoming established. Present along the entire coast growing in most coastal habitats.
Form: Creeping herb, forming dense mats of stolons up to 0.3 m high.
Flower: Inconspicuous. Summer.
Leaf: Flat or strongly folded, fleshy, pale to dark green.
Control: The structure of Buffalo grass makes manual removal of large infestations very difficult and follow-up work is often necessary for successful eradication. The long stolons and underground rhizomes should be removed. This may take considerable digging. Any stolon or rhizome fragments left on the ground are likely to re-establish into new plants so total removal from the site is necessary.
A number of chemical controls are available. Spraying diluted glyphosate is effective.