Common Garden Weeds That Look Like Fern Plants

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Have you noticed weeds that look like ferns around your garden? Their fern-like foliage (like many ferns do) can add a beautiful, lacy texture to your garden. 

But unlike the gracefully growing green fern fronds, most of the lookalikes grow fast and can quickly overtake your garden. Knowing how to identify these imitators is essential for maintaining a healthy landscape.

In this post, we’ll look at the most common fern-like weeds, physical traits to distinguish them, and tips for effective removal.

1. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Yarrow is a flowering plant that has finely divided leaves that resemble fern fronds
Yarrow is a flowering plant that has finely divided leaves that resemble fern fronds. Image: Inaturalist/sguttman
  • Local Name: Common Yarrow, Western Yarrow, and Thousandleaf 
  • Family: Asteraceae
  • Annua or Perennial: Perennial 

Yarrow is a flowering perennial from the Daisy family. It is characterized by leaves that are finely divided and soft to the touch, much like a fern’s fronds. 

They grow alternately along upright, slender stems that can reach 1–3 feet in height. You can mistake the plant for a fern in the early growth stages before it flowers. 

Yarrow spreads by creeping rhizomes and seeds and can take over large patches of your landscape if left unchecked.

It is native to:

  • Europe
  • Asia
  • North America

Removal Methods

  • Cultural control: Maintain a well-tended garden to discourage yarrow growth.
  • Mechanical control: Dig out the young weeds using a weeding tool and get rid of the root fragments and prevent regrowth.
  • Chemical control: Apply a glyphosate + saflufenacil herbicide combination for effective control.
READ ALSO:  Cogon Grass (Imperata cylindrica)

2. Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota)

Queen Anne's Lace leaves are soft, delicate, and highly fern-like in appearance
Queen Anne’s Lace leaves are soft, delicate, and highly fern-like in appearance. Image:msu.edu
  • Local Name: Wild Carrot, Bird’s Nest
  • Family: Apiaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Biennial

Queen Anne’s Lace is an imposing plant that grows 2-4 feet tall. It has finely divided, lacy green leaves that grow from a hairy stem, similar to carrot tops.

The leaves are soft, delicate, and highly fern-like in appearance, making this plant easy to confuse with actual ferns.

It is native to:

  • Asia
  • Europe
  • North America

Removal Methods

  • Mechanical control: Digging the plants and discarding the root fragments is a viable option for small infestations.
  • Chemical control: For larger infestations, spot spray the plants for effective control.

3. Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum)

Poison hemlock leaves
Poison hemlock leaves. Image: cdl.org
  • Local Name: Hemlock
  • Family: Apiaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Biennial 

Poison hemlock is a tall biennial plant known for its height (5-8 feet) and high ingestion toxicity.

Apart from these undesirable traits, this highly toxic weed also has hollow stems often marked with purple spots and finely dissected leaves.

For the untrained eye, the fern-like leaves can make the weed difficult to detect early.

It is native to: 

  • Europe
  • North Africa

Removal Methods

Removal Methods

  • Mechanical control: Pull out or dig the plants when they are young to prevent seed set. Ensure that you get the entire root system to prevent regrowth. Repeated mowing before they bloom can also help eradicate an infestation.
  • Chemical control: Repeated herbicide applications of products like glyphosate, 2,4-D, dicamba, and clopyralid can help control the weed. However, the choice of herbicide and application instructions depend on the area of infestation. 
READ ALSO:  20 common weeds with yellow flowers

4. Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)

Common ragweed
Common ragweed. Image: Flickr/stacey
  • Local Name: Annual Ragweed, Low Ragweed, Ragweed, Carrot Weed, American Wormwood, and Hay Fever Weed 
  • Family: Asteraceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Ragweed is a common and highly invasive garden weed that grows 3-6 feet tall. It has hairy stems that are green to purple in color.

Common ragweed also has fern-like leaves with deep lobes and toothed edges. The young plant’s delicate, divided leaves can fool you into thinking it’s a fern seedling.

It is native to:

  • North America
  • Caribbean
  • South America

Removal Methods

  • Cultural control: Plant numerous crops in your garden to minimize resources that can encourage ragweed growth.
  • Mechanical control: Hand-pulling is an effective strategy for young plants as it prevents pollen and seed production.
  • Chemical control: Repeated applications of a selective herbicide like 2,4-D can help control ragweed.

5. Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)

Tansy has feathery leaves that closely resemble ferns
Tansy has feathery leaves that closely resemble ferns. Image: ncsu.edu
  • Local Name: Common Tansy, Garden Tansy, and Bitter Buttons
  • Family: Asteraceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Tansy is a herbaceous perennial plant that can reach a height of 1-5 feet. It is known for its numerous golden-yellow button flowers and bright green leaves that closely resemble ferns. 

Despite their finely fern-like cut structure, the leaves are aromatic with a camphor scent, unlike most ferns. 

READ ALSO:  List of Weeds That Look Like Clover

It is native to: 

  • Asia
  • Europe

Removal Methods

  • Mechanical control: Pull out the young weeds and ensure to get rid of the rhizomes for effective control.
  • Chemical control: The most effective herbicides for tansy control are metsulfuron and chlorsulfuron. Combine the herbicide with a non-ionic surfactant for better leaf penetration.