Common couch. Cynodon dactylon
Native to America and Overseas
Common couch has been used extensively for lawns, soil stabilisation and pastures. Similar to other turf grasses couch has the tendency to spread out of areas its initially intended for. Once established couch is difficult to remove. Found along the entire coast growing in most coastal habitats.
Form: Creeping herb forming dense mats of intertwining stolons and rhizomes, up to 0.3 m high.
Flower: On 2 - 7 spiklets. Mainly summer.
Leaf: Narrow flat blade, dark green.
Control: The structure of couch 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.