Yellow foxtail is a summer annual grass with bushy, yellowish seed heads that look like a fox's tail.
- Scientific name
- Setaria pumila
- Type
- Summer annual grass
- Most visible
- June–September
How to Identify Yellow Foxtail
- Flat blades with long hairs near the base
- Dense, bristly, yellow seed heads
- Upright clumps
- Often found in new lawns or thin turf
When It Shows Up in Oklahoma Lawns
Germinates in late spring and is most common in newly seeded or disturbed areas.
How to Control Yellow Foxtail
- Apply a pre-emergent before seeds germinate (late winter for summer annuals, early fall for winter annuals)
- Mowing usually removes it from established lawns
- Spot-treat with a selective herbicide labeled for the weed and safe for your grass type, following the label exactly
- Keep turf thick with proper mowing height, watering, and feeding so seedlings can't establish