Which weed is known for spreading via rhizomes in turf?

• A. Bermudagrass
• B. Sandspur
• C. Crabgrass
• D. Dandelion

Answer: (A)

Spreading through rhizomes means the plant sends underground stems that grow horizontally and produce new shoots at nodes, creating a fast, creeping network. Bermudagrass does exactly that—it uses underground rhizomes (along with stolons) to aggressively colonize turf and persist through disturbances. In cool-season lawns, this makes it behave like a troublesome weed because those rhizomes can extend well beyond where the shoots appear, making control challenging. The other weeds don’t rely on rhizomes for spread: sandspur mainly reproduces by seeds and forms spiny burrs; crabgrass is largely an annual that spreads by seeds and short above-ground runners rather than a widespread underground network; dandelion uses a deep taproot and seeds for spread. So the weed known for spreading via rhizomes in turf is bermudagrass.