Woolly cupgrass is an annual grass weed. The first true leaf of the seedling has a short, wide, pointed leaf blade that lies flat to the ground. The adult plant is dark green in color. The collar lacks auricles and the ligule is a fringe of fine hairs. The leaf blade surface is covered with short dense hairs; one edge of the leaf blade is typically crinkled. Woolly cupgrass begins to emerge in late April to early May, depending on soil temperature and moisture. It is usually the first annual grass weed to emerge in the spring. The woolly cupgrass seedhead has 2 to 8 racemes that branch from one side of the main stem. Seeds hang in two rows from the raceme. A "woolly" tuft of hair exists where the seed attaches to the raceme. Seeds shatter from mid-August through September.
