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Field Sandbur

Cenchrus spinifex

Last reviewed: August 2026

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

Toxicity unknown

Field Sandbur (Cenchrus spinifex) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

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

Before you buy

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

Central California Foothills and Coastal MountainsCentral California ValleySouthern California MountainsMojave Basin and RangeNorth American DesertsSouthern RockiesArizona/New Mexico MountainsChihuahuan DesertsHigh PlainsSouthwestern TablelandsCentral Great PlainsCross TimbersEdwards PlateauSouthern Texas PlainsTexas Blackland PrairiesEast Central Texas PlainsWestern Gulf Coastal PlainSouth Central PlainsOzark HighlandsPiedmontCentral Corn Belt PlainsNortheastern Coastal ZoneMiddle Atlantic Coastal PlainSoutheastern PlainsRidge and ValleyInterior River Valleys and HillsMississippi Alluvial PlainSouthern Coastal PlainSouthern Florida Coastal PlainMadrean ArchipelagoSonoran Basin and RangeAtlantic Coastal Pine BarrensSouthern California/Northern Baja Coast

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.

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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.

Common questions

How much sun does Field Sandbur need?
Field Sandbur grows best in full sun conditions.
When does Field Sandbur bloom?
Field Sandbur blooms in June, July, August, and September.
Where is Field Sandbur native?
Field Sandbur (Cenchrus spinifex) is native to AL, AR, AZ, CA and 19 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
Is Field Sandbur HOA-friendly?
Field Sandbur takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

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