Texas enjoys a range of climates, from humid subtropical coasts to semi-arid deserts. These ecosystems nurture unique flora including numerous common weeds that invade lawns, gardens, riparian areas, roadsides, and agricultural farms.
Let’s explore the top 20 most common weeds you would find in the great State of Texas, their characteristics for easier identification, and the best eradication methods.
1. Henbit Deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule)
- Local Name: Henbit
- Family: Lamiaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Annual
Henbit is a winter annual weed that is mostly found in Central Texas and other parts of the state. The low-growing plant can grow 10-25 cm tall.
It can be easily identified by its soft and hairy greenish-purple stems, deeply-veined rounded leaves, and purple blooms.
It is a common weed of lawns, pastures, crop fields, roadsides, and other disturbed sites.
It is native to:
- Europe
- Asia
- North Africa
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Trimming down the plants and hand-pulling the remaining plant fragments in spring can help eradicate henbit infestations.
- Chemical control: Apply preemergence herbicides like prodiamine, pendimethalin, isoxaben, and dithiopyr by mid-September for effective control. Postemergence herbicides indicated for henbit include 2,4-D, dicamba, triclopyr, and, fluroxypyr.
2. Mustang Grape (Vitis mustangensis)
- Local Name: Mustang grape
- Family: Vitaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Mustang grape is a woody perennial that can be found in most counties in Texas. It can be recognized by its heart-shaped leaves with white velvety undersides and clusters of 2 cm wide dark purple berries.
The Mustang grape can grow in any type of soil and vines cover fences, trees, shrubs, and other objects, sometimes killing entire populations of native vegetation.
It is native to:
- Texas
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Oklahoma
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Cutting and uprooting the plants from the roots is a viable option for small infestations. Burning can also help eradicate the weed if the plant is not twining on other desirable vegetation.
- Chemical control: Apply products with active ingredients like dithiopyr and glyphosate on exposed stumps.
3. Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus)
- Local Name: Purple nutsedge
- Family: Cyperaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Nutsedge is a common perennial weed that can grow up to 60 cm tall. It has a triangular stem in cross-section and linear grass-like leaves with a prominent midrib.
It reproduces by tubers and rhizomes, creating a vast underground network that makes it difficult to eradicate.
Purple nutsedge is mostly found in pastures, lawns, crop fields, riverbanks, fallow lang, irrigation channels, and waste areas.
It is native to:
- India
- Australia
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Consistent cultivation will wear out the tuber resources preventing re-growth.
- Cultural control: Practices like mulching, cover cropping, crop rotation, and soil solarization can help control nutsedge infestations.
- Chemical control: Apply preemergence herbicides like terbacil, bromacil, or carbamate products. Postemergence herbicides containing glyphosate, 2,4-D, or amitrole can also help control nutsedge.
4. Silverleaf Nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium)
- Local Name: Silver-leaved nightshade
- Family: Solanaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Silverleaf nightshade is a common perennial weed 30-90 cm tall. It has silvery fuzz on its prickly stems and lance-shaped leaves and also produces blue to violet flowers with yellow stamens.
Its deep root system and drought resistance abilities make it a highly persistent weed that can be found throughout Texas. It is a common weed of crop fields, roadsides, prairies, and open woods.
It is native to:
- Southwestern United States
- Mexico
- South America
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Hand-pull small plants or slash the weeds once the green shoots sprout.
- Chemical control: Herbicides like glyphosate, 2,4-D, + picloram or fluroxypyr.
5. Pigweed (Amaranthus palmeri)
- Local Name: Palmer pigweed and Palmer amaranth
- Family: Amaranthaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Annual
Palmer pigweed is among the common weeds in the Pigweed family found in Texas. The summer annual is characterized by its reddish stems and oval-shaped green leaves.
As a prolific seed producer, pigweed can invade new areas quickly. It is now considered one of the most troublesome weeds in row crop fields in areas like Rio Grande Valley, High Plains, and Central Texas. The most affected crops include corn, cotton, sweet potato, and sorghum.
It is native to:
- Southern United States
- Northern Mexico
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Hand-pulling, tillage, or mowing is effective depending on the degree of weed infestation.
- Cultural control: Cover cropping with plants such as hairy vetch or cereal rye can significantly reduce pigweed growth.
- Chemical control: There are herbicides indicated for different crops including glyphosate, 2,4-D, and dicamba but due to its high herbicide resistance, it’s best to consult a local extension expert.
6. Johnson Grass (Sorghum halepense)
- Local Name: Johnsongrass
- Family: Poaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Johnsongrass is a fast-growing perennial grass weed that reaches up to 8 feet tall. The leaves can grow about 60 cm and have a distinct whitish midrib.
The grass spreads through its underground rhizomes with some extending over 60 meters in different directions across the ground. Due to its fast and extensive growth, it is considered one of the most troublesome weeds in agricultural and landscaping systems.
It is native to:
- The Mediterranean Region
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Repeated tillage and close mowing prevent seed production and rhizome growth and spread. Tillage can also expose the rhizomes to winter kill, helping eradicate the weed.
- Cultural control: Grazing livestock and crop rotation can help reduce the grass population.
- Chemical control: Various herbicides are indicated for johnsongrass including prodiamine, glyphosate, and ALS inhibitors. However, some variations have shown resistance to popular brands like Roundup (which contains glyphosate). It’s best to consult a local extension expert on the best herbicide product for johnsongrass control.
7. Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
- Local Name: Common purslane
- Family: Portulacaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Annual
Purslane is an annual weed that grows in dense mounds around spring and summer throughout Texas. It is easily recognized by its smooth and reddish prostrate stems, succulent leaves, and cup-shaped blooms.
Although it’s an edible plant, common purslane is considered a weed due to its aggressive growth, high seed production, and prolonged dormancy. Purslane is a weed of lawns, crop fields, and parks.
It is native to:
- North Africa
- Middle East
- India
Removal Methods
- Cultural control: Mulching and soil solarization can help kill the weeds and the seeds, preventing further growth and spread.
- Chemical control: Apply preemergent herbicides containing pendimethalin, dithiopyr, or oryzalin. Postemergent herbicides indicated for purslane include 2,4-D, MCPP, sulfentrazone, or dicamba.
8. Late Boneset (Eupatorium serotinum)
- Local Name: Late thoroughwort and Late-flowering thoroughwort
- Family: Asteraceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Late Boneset is a large fall-blooming perennial about 1-2m tall. Its notable features include its ovate leaves with serrated margins and clusters of small white fuzzy flowers.
Despite its value as a pollinator plant, late boneset is considered an aggressive weed due to its ability to thrive in diverse habitats, rapid growth, and difficulty in controlling it once it’s established.
It’s a common weed of pastures, roadsides, forest edges, and landscaping settings.
It is native to:
- Eastern United States
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Hand-pulling the plants from the roots before they flower and seed can help control the weeds.
- Chemical control: Apply herbicides containing 2,4-D.
9. Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
- Local Name: Bull thistle
- Family: Asteraceae
- Annual or Perennial: Biennial
Bull thistle is a biennial herb that grows up to 1.8m tall. It is easily recognized by its prickly dark green leaves and stems and solitary purple flowerheads clustered at the top of the branches.
The weed is a prolific seed producer, quickly colonizing almost any type of disturbed area. It is also highly competitive and can choke out native vegetation. Bull thistle is a common weed of pastures, meadows, riverbanks, fields, and wastelands.
It is native to:
- North Africa
- Europe
- Asia
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Hand-pulling or cutting the plant’s roots below the surface and revegating the areas will eradicate and keep away the tenacious weeds.
- Chemical control: Apply herbicides containing triclopyr, picloram, glyphosate, or dicamba for effective bull thistle control.
10. White Mouth Dayflower (Commelina erecta)
- Local Name: Slender dayflower or widow’s tears
- Family: Commelinaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
White mouth dayflower is a perennial wildflower 60-80cm tall. It produces bright green, lance-linear leaves and two-petaled blue flowers with a smaller white petal that resembles a mouth.
Slender dayflower is a common weed in gardens, woodlands, dry sand prairies, scrub habitats, and other disturbed areas.
It is native to:
- North America
- South America
- Africa
- Western Asia
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Hand-pulling or tillage are effective methods for small infestations.
- Chemical control: Apply products containing sulfentrazone + cloransulam-methyl. The weed is known to exhibit herbicide resistance, therefore, consulting a local extension expert is recommended.
11. Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)
- Local Name: Annual ragweed
- Family: Asteraceae
- Annual or Perennial: Annual
Common ragweed is an annual weed that grows up to 1.5m tall. It has upright, slender stems and deeply lobed leaves with a fern-like appearance and greenish-white inconspicuous flowers.
It is a common weed of agricultural fields, gardens, waste areas, waterways, and floodplains.
It is native to:
- North America
- Central America
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Hand weeding and slashing can provide effective control for small infestations.
- Cultural control: Plant the red clover in field crops to suppress annual ragweed.
- Chemical control: Apply mesotrione, flumioxazin, or metribuzin to prevent growth. Postemergence herbicides include 2,4-D, metsulfuron-methyl, paraquat, imazapic, and dicamba.
12. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
- Local Name: Dandelion, Common dandelion
- Family: Asteraceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Dandelion is a common perennial broadleaf weed that thrives in the sunny regions of Texas. It produces dense mats of basal leaves, hollow stems, and yellow blooms.
It is a common weed of lawns, gardens, golf courses, athletics fields, roadsides, meadows, pastures, and other disturbed sites.
It is native to:
- Europe
- Asia
Removal Methods
- Cultural control: A combination of mulch and landscape fabric can block plant growth.
- Chemical control: Apply preemergence herbicides containing dithiopyr or isoxaben in the soil to prevent germination. Postemergence herbicides indicated for dandelion control include glyphosate, triclopyr, dicamba, mecoprop, and MCPA.
13. Chickweed (Stellaria media)
- Local Name: Common chickweed, Birdweed, and Starweed
- Family: Caryophyllaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Annual
Chickweed is a cool-season weed about 30-45 cm tall. It is commonly identified by its hairy sprawling stems, broad oval-shaped leaves, and small white star-shaped flowers.
While it may be a beneficial plant because of its edible leaves, stems, and flowers it is also considered a weed in lawns, gardens, farmlands, grasslands, and waste areas.
It is native to:
- Europe
- Asia
- North Africa
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Hand-pulling and cultivation can provide effective control for small infestations.
- Cultural control: Mulching will reduce seed germination and establishment in gardens while maintaining a thick vigorous lawn can control chickweed infestation in turf.
- Chemical control: Apply preemergence herbicides containing prodiamine, pendimethalin, dithiopyr, and isoxaben in late fall or early winter. Postemergence herbicides containing glyphosate, dicamba, triclopyr, or diquat can be applied in turf lawns, landscapes, and non-planted areas.
14. Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua)
- Local Name: Bluegrass, Annual blue
- Family: Poaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Annual
Poa annua is among the top invasive weeds in Texas. The clump-forming grass has vivid green, leaf blades, distinct white flowerheads, and stems that can reach a height of 25 cm.
It is a common weed of lawns, farmlands, and other turfgrass areas where it forms unsightly brown patches in hot weather. Due to its prolific seed production and prolonged dormancy abilities, it can be a difficult weed to eradicate.
It is native to:
- Europe
- Asia
- Africa
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Frequent hand-pulling or hoeing can help control bluegrass infestations. The empty spots should be overseeded to grow competitive turfgrass against the weed.
- Chemical control: Apply preemergence herbicides like prodiamine, dithiopyr, oryzalin, and benefin in early fall and the following early spring. Different postemergence herbicides are recommended for different grasses, therefore it’s best to consult a local expert. Alternatively, apply the non-selective glyphosate and replant the desired turfgrass.
15. Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)
- Local Name: American pokeweed and Common Pokeweed
- Family: Phytolacacceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Pokeweed is a perennial shrub about 3m tall. Apart from its towering height, you can also identify it by its reddish-purple stems and hanging clusters of dark purple to black berries.
It is a common weed in the eastern part of Texas in farmlands, meadows, fencerows, and waste areas.
It is native to:
- North, Central, West, and Southern United States
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Hand-pulling is effective for small plants while digging, repeated cutting under the root crown, and tillage can provide better results for established plants.
- Chemical control: Apply herbicides containing dicamba, 2,4-D, and glyphosate for large pokeweed infestations.
16. Southern Dewberry (Rubus trivialis)
- Local Name: Southern Dewberry, Dewberry, and Blackberry
- Family: Rosaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Southern dewberry is a perennial low-growing shrub that can grow up to 90 cm with a spread of about 90-180 cm. It is easily recognizable by its hispid stems, starlike-shaped leaves with teeth on the edges, and showy white flowers.
The weed can be located in the east through central Texas in fields, thickets, roadsides, fencerows, and other disturbed areas.
It is native to:
- Eastern and Southeastern United States
- Mexico
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Pull out the plants at the seedling or low-growing stage. Deep tillage is also required to remove all root fragments.
- Cultural control: Lay a thick layer of black mulch, straw, or sawdust in winter or spring on the area to prevent germination.
- Chemical control: Apply herbicides containing metsulfuron or triclopyr in the fall for effective control.
17. Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis)
- Local Name: Hairy crabgrass or hairy finger-grass
- Family: Poaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Annual
Crabgrass is a common annual grass weed that is hard to miss in almost every landscape or turfgrass. It has coarse yellowish-green leaf blades that are grass-like, making it hard to identify in its initial growth stage.
Once the grass is mature, the leaves become lighter and wider, creating an unsightly contrast to the turfgrass. Crabgrass can be found throughout Texas including North Texas, the Gulf Coast, and the Big Bend.
It is native to:
- Europe
- Asia
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Uproot or dig the grass using a weeding tool to get rid of the grass weeds.
- Chemical control: Apply a preemergence herbicide containing prodiamine in early spring or postemergence products containing quinclorac or mesotrione such as Tenacity in the summer.
18. Frostweed (Verbesina virginica)
- Local Name: White crownbeard, Iceweed, and Richweed
- Family: Asteraceae
- Annual or Perennial: Biennial and Perennial
Frostweed is a perennial herb that can grow up to 2m tall. It produces soft oval to lanceolate leaves and clusters of white flowers at the end of the stems. Frostweed is also a beneficial plant for butterflies and bees.
It is a common weed in many parts of Texas and is mostly found in thickets and the edges of woodlands.
It is native to:
- Southeastern United States
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Pull or dig the young plants from the roots to prevent establishment.
- Cultural control: Lay a thick layer of mulch, sawdust, or landscape fabric on the area to inhibit seed germination.
19. White Clover (Trifolium repens)
- Local Name: Clover or Dutch clover
- Family: Fabaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
White clover is a perennial herb about 15 cm tall. The low-growing plant forms dense mats with stems creeping up to 7 inches in a year. It is also easily identified by its trifoliate leaves and flowerheads with white florets that also bear a pink to cream hue in maturity.
While it is considered a valuable forage crop, clover can also be a persistent weed in lawns, gardens, vineyards, pastures, meadows, and roadsides.
It is native to:
- Europe
- Central Asia
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Hand-pulling or cultivation can provide effective control for small infestations.
- Cultural control: Lay a thick layer of mulch or landscape fabric to prevent seedling establishment.
- Chemical control: Apply a herbicide containing glyphosate at the seedling stage for effective control of white clover.
20. Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)
- Local Name: Eastern poison ivy or Poison oak
- Family: Anacardiaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Poison ivy is a perennial weed that can grow as an upright or trailing shrub about 1.8 m high, or a woody vine 60-150 cm tall. It is easily identified by its compound leaflets with the middle leaflet more prominent than the other outer two.
The weed grows throughout Texas and can be located in gardens, lawns, riverbanks, woodland edges, roadsides, valleys, fencerows, and waste areas.
It is native to:
- United States
- Canada
Removal Methods
- Mechanical methods: Hand-pulling or repeated mowing can control small poison ivy infestations.
- Chemical control: Spray glyphosate herbicide directly on the plants or apply the herbicide on freshly cut stumps to effectively eradicate poison ivy.
Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.