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Field Sandbur

Cenchrus spinifex

Last reviewed: June 2026

Field Sandbur (Cenchrus spinifex)
Photo: Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

Light

full sun

Water

low

Size

12"–36" H × 6"–24" W

Bloom

Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Native to

AL, AR, AZ, CA and 19 more states

Browse plants for this ecoregion

Central California ValleyCentral California Foothills and Coastal MountainsSouthern California/Northern Baja CoastMojave Basin and RangeChihuahuan DesertsCentral Oklahoma/Texas PlainsEdwards PlateauSouthern Texas PlainsTexas Blackland PrairiesEast Central Texas PlainsWestern Gulf Coastal PlainSouth Central PlainsSonoran Basin and Range

Field sandbur is a low-growing annual grass that produces sharp, spiny seed heads from summer through fall. This aggressive species spreads quickly and creates painful burrs that stick to clothing, shoes, and pet fur.

In an HOA neighborhood

Field Sandbur takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: high. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

  • Produces painful spiny burrs
  • Considered a weed by most homeowners
  • Can spread aggressively and invade lawn areas

Wildlife value

Provides some seed for ground-feeding birds, though the spiny burrs make it less desirable than other native grasses.

Native range data from the USDA PLANTS Database and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

Does Field Sandbur fit your yard? Open it in Pollinator Patch to check it against your sun, soil, and HOA-conscious filters.

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