Setaria faberi aka Chinese Foxtail

Setaria faberi, also known as Japanese bristlegrass, nodding bristle-grass, Chinese foxtail, Chinese millet, giant bristlegrass, giant foxtail or nodding foxtail, is a summer annual Asian grass that emerges from seeds in the spring and sets seeds in late summer or fall. It prefers compacted soils that are high in nitrogen and phosphorus, and gains a competitive edge on crops as soil pH increases. However, it has been introduced to North America where it is a widespread weed and a significant pest of corn, reducing crop yields by 13-14% at average plant distributions. Mechanical control of giant foxtails through night tillage, rotary hoeing, or flaming is difficult, and herbicides are less effective when it is infesting corn. To get rid of Setaria faberi, hand-digging, pulling, and hoeing can be effective methods that require little more than common garden tools and elbow grease. Disking or using a rotary mower (brush hog) can effectively eliminate some brushy weeds in larger areas, but it is important to avoid turning soil when dealing with weeds like Thistle, Cocklebur, Bermudagrass (wiregrass), or Johnsongrass as these weeds can spread more aggressively when soil is disturbed. As a houseplant, Japanese bristlegrass is super rare and needs regular watering to thrive. It does best in long-lasting, direct light and should be less than 1 foot from a window. It likes soil that is well-draining and may benefit from a gentle, organic fertilizer throughout the peak growing season. However, it should be noted that Setaria faberi may be poisonous.