The label is the law. Rates and restrictions below are taken from the product labels listed under Sources. Your product's own label governs; read it before you mix or apply. Mixing calculator · Disclaimer
- Active ingredient
- Quinclorac (as the dimethylamine salt)
- Chemical class
- Quinoline carboxylic acid; a WSSA Group 4 synthetic auxin that is absorbed by leaves and roots and moves through the plant.[2][1]
- Mode of action
- WSSA Group 4: Synthetic auxins (quinoline carboxylic acids)[2][1]
- Signal word
- Drive XLR8 Herbicide: Caution[1]
Lawn grasses it can and can't be used on
Common bermudagrass, Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, buffalograss and zoysiagrass are listed as highly tolerant. Fine fescue may be treated only as part of a seed blend.[1]
Do not apply it to St. Augustinegrass, centipedegrass, bahiagrass, carpetgrass, colonial or seaside bentgrass, dichondra, or a lawn where clover is wanted.[1]
Gardens, trees and later planting
Keep it out of ornamental beds, off exposed tree roots and outside the dripline of trees and other ornamentals. Avoid drift onto garden plants; the label singles out tomatoes, eggplants and bell peppers.[1]
Wait 12 months before planting eggplants or tobacco in treated soil, and 24 months before planting tomatoes or carrots.[1]
Where it is used
Don't mow for 2 days before or after spraying. Leave clippings from the first three mowings on the lawn, and never use them as mulch or compost around flowers, trees or vegetable gardens.[1]
Hold off on watering for 24 hours after application. If no rain falls within 2 to 7 days, about half an inch of irrigation helps, and watering dry soil beforehand can improve control.[1]
Crabgrass control is most consistent on newly sprouted plants, 1-tiller plants, or mature plants with 5 or more tillers. Plants at the 2- to 4-tiller stage may need a second application.[1]
Methylated seed oil is the preferred additive. It can cause slight leaf burn on the turf, but the label says new growth comes in normally.[1]
Products and registrations
| Product | Registrant | EPA Reg. No. | Active % | Formulation | Signal word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drive XLR8 Herbicide[1] | BASF Corporation | 7969-272 | 18.92% | water-soluble liquid (1.5 lb quinclorac acid equivalent per gallon) | Caution |
Label rates
| Product | Use | Pests | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive XLR8 Herbicide | Established tolerant turf: residential and commercial lawns, parks, schools, athletic fields, golf courses (not greens or collars), sod farms | Crabgrass, foxtails, barnyardgrass, broadleaf signalgrass, clovers, black medic, field bindweed, speedwell, wild violet and other listed weeds | 1.45 fl oz product per 1,000 sq ft[1] That's 64 fl oz per acre per application, sprayed in at least 0.5 gallon of water per 1,000 sq ft with methylated seed oil at 0.55 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft. The yearly cap is 2.9 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft. |
| Drive XLR8 Herbicide | Spot spraying weeds in tolerant turf | Susceptible grass and broadleaf weeds | 3 tbsp product per gallon of water[1] Add 1.5 tablespoons of methylated seed oil per gallon and spray 1 gallon over 1,000 sq ft. In New York, spot treatment is the only use allowed. |
Safety and environmental hazards
People
Signal word CAUTION: harmful if swallowed. Applicators wear long sleeves, long pants, chemical-resistant gloves, shoes and socks, and wash with soap and water after handling.[1]
Pets
The label's warning for people and domestic animals is that it is harmful if swallowed. For lawn use, nobody should enter the treated area until the spray has dried.[1]
Bees and pollinators
The Drive XLR8 label carries no bee or pollinator warning; its environmental statements are about groundwater and keeping the product out of surface water.[1]
Fish and water
Keep it out of lakes, ponds and streams, and don't apply where surface water is present. The label also flags a groundwater risk on permeable soils with a shallow water table.[1]
Common questions
- Can I seed grass after spraying quinclorac?
- It depends on the grass. Tall fescue can be seeded any time, but Kentucky bluegrass, creeping bentgrass and fine fescue blends should not be treated at seeding or within 4 weeks after the seedlings emerge.[1]
- Does quinclorac kill dandelions?
- Dandelion is on the label, but only with a tank-mix partner or a follow-up application; clover, black medic, speedwell and wild violet are listed without that footnote.[1]
- How much can go on a lawn in a year?
- No more than 2.9 fl oz of product per 1,000 sq ft per year, and no more than 1.45 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft in a single application.[1]
Sources
- U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “Drive XLR8 Herbicide label, EPA Reg. No. 7969-272 (EPA-stamped, Nov. 1, 2019).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/007969-00272-20191101.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Weed Science Society of America, “Summary of Herbicide Mechanism of Action According to the Weed Science Society of America.” wssa.net/wp-content/uploads/WSSA-Mechanism-of-Action.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)