Seedlings are upright, leaves are rolled in the bud, and the first leaf blade is lanceolate to linear. Fibrous root system. Sheaths hairy and closed. Ligules are 1-2 mm long, membranous and appearing as if cut off straight across the end, with uneven teeth or margin. Leaves and sheaths may turn dark red or maroon with age.
Spikelets are elliptic and in two rows along the spike.
Additionally, large crabgrass roots at the stem nodes while smooth crabgrass does not.