Kikuyu . Pennisetum clandestinum
Native to East Africa
A very common grass used extensively for lawns and pastures. Kikuyu often escapes the areas where its initially planted causing problems on adjacent sites. Kikuyu is found along the entire coast in most coastal habitats. It often becomes the dominant ground cover and can even climb up into small shrubs.
Form: Creeper herb up to 0.9m high. Forms dense mats of stolons and underground rhizomes.
Flower: Very small, hidden in a sheath. Autumn to Spring.
Leaf: Hairs present, light green.
Control: The structure of Kikuyu 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.