Digitaria cognata Plant Care
Digitaria cognata (Schult.) Pilg.
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Digitaria cognata is a species of grass known by the common names fall witchgrass, Carolina crabgrass, and mountain hairgrass.
Every 7–14 days
Full sun to partial shade
65–85°F
40–70%
At a glance
How do you care for Digitaria cognata?
Water Digitaria cognata every 7–14 days, letting the top layer of soil dry out between waterings, and give it full sun to partial shade. It prefers temperatures of 65–85°F (18–29°C) and 40–70% humidity. Fertilize it every 8 months during the growing season.
What Is the Digitaria cognata?
Digitaria cognata (Digitaria cognata) belongs to the Poaceae family within the Digitaria genus.
Digitaria cognata displays an upright, spreading grass growth habit, reaching up to 3 ft tall with a spread of approximately 2 ft. Digitaria cognata produces small inconspicuous flowers on tall spikes.
Leaf size: approximately 12 inches.
How Often Should You Water a Digitaria cognata?
Digitaria cognata requires watering every 7–14 days. Allow the top layer of soil to dry between waterings to prevent root rot. Reduce watering frequency during winter when growth slows.
Watering Frequency
Every 7–14 days
Let soil partially dry between waterings
What Light Does the Digitaria cognata Need?
Digitaria cognata thrives in full sun to partial shade.
Light Requirement
Full sun to partial shade
What Temperature and Humidity Does the Digitaria cognata Prefer?
Digitaria cognata grows best at temperatures of 65–85°F. Digitaria cognata prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.
Temperature
65–85°F
Humidity
40–70%
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Digitaria cognata?
Well-draining sandy loam with good fertility. Good drainage is essential for Digitaria cognata to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Often Should You Fertilize a Digitaria cognata?
Feed Digitaria cognata every 8 months during the growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced fertilizer diluted to the strength on the label.
Pause feeding in autumn and winter, when growth slows, and never fertilize dry soil — water first.
Fertilizing
Every 8 months
During the growing season
The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.
How Do You Repot a Digitaria cognata?
Divide and repot every 2-3 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Digitaria cognata?
Digitaria cognata can be propagated through seeds, division of clumps. Similar propagation techniques also apply to digitaria californica plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Digitaria cognata Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Digitaria cognata, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Digitaria cognata?
Digitaria cognata is susceptible to aphids, grasshoppers, armyworms. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
What USDA Hardiness Zone Does the Digitaria cognata Need?
Digitaria cognata grows outdoors in USDA Zone 13b. It survives winters down to planting zone 13b. In cooler regions, grow Digitaria cognata as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.
Hardiness Zone
Zone 13b
Keep exploring plants
Digitaria cognata is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Digitaria genus — compare its care with other Digitaria species on PlantoScan.
Digitaria is part of the Poaceae plant family — browse all Poaceae genera and species.
Digitaria cognata thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
More Digitaria Species
Other Digitaria species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Digitaria cognata (Schult.) Pilg., family Poaceae (first published in Nat. Pflanzenfam. ed. 2 , 14e: 50 (1940)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Digitaria cognata, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Hardiness zone: USDA Zone 13b, calculated from the plant's minimum temperature.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
Identify Plants Like the
Digitaria cognata Instantly
Scan any plant with your phone camera and get instant ID, care tips, water and fertilizer reminders, and health checks — all in one app.
Free
to download
iOS & Android
platforms
Light & dark
mode
100,000+
species