12 Most Common Weeds in Massachusetts

Located in the Northeastern United States, Massachusetts is home to thriving orchards, dairy farms, and corn fields.

Its humid continental climate and fertile soils similarly encourage the growth of numerous weeds found along lawns, roadsides, meadows, orchards, and other disturbed sites. 

This article covers the most common weeds, their characteristics, and the best eradication methods.

1. Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

Garlic mustard is a highly invasive weed of the roadsides, trail edges, and backyards
Garlic mustard is a highly invasive weed of the roadsides, trail edges, and backyards. Image: Canva/michelviard
  • Local Name: Garlic mustard
  • Family: Brassicaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Biennial 

Garlic mustard is a herbaceous biennial plant that can grow up to 1m tall. It is easily identified by its ovate to heart-shaped leaves that have a characteristic garlic smell when crushed and racemes of cross-shaped white flowers.

It is a highly invasive weed commonly found in damp hedgerows, woods and trail edges, backyards, and along roadsides in many areas across Massachusetts.

It is native to:

  • Europe
  • Western and Central Asia 

Removal Methods

  • Mechanical control: For small infestations, cutting the flowering stalks before they bloom and pulling the plants by their roots will help eradicate the weeds.
  • Chemical control: Apply herbicides containing glyphosate, triclopyr, or 2,4-D in the rosette stage, early blooming stage, or before the seed pod formation. 

2. White Clover (Trifolium repens)

White Clover
White Clover. Image: Canva/romeolu
  • Local Name: White clover, White trefoil, Dutch clover, and Honeysuckle clover
  • Family: Fabaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

White clover is a perennial mat-forming plant about 10-15 cm tall but can spread up to 30 cm across the ground. The herbaceous perennial has trifoliate green leaves with a red or purplish hue and globular white flowers. 

While it’s highly edible and a valuable forage for livestock, it can easily outcompete other desirable vegetation on lawns, landscapes, orchards, and nursery fields.

It is native to:

  • Europe 
  • Asia
  • Africa

Removal Methods

  • Cultural control: Grow turfgrasses that are well adapted to the area, improve turf density, and adequately water and fertilize your lawn or landscape.
  • Chemical control: Applications of herbicides containing dicamba, quinclorac, and fluroxypyr in the fall can provide effective control against white clover

3. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Dandelion is a weed of every habitat in Massachusetts
Dandelion is a weed of every habitat in Massachusetts. Image: Canva/tammimild
  • Local Name: Common dandelion
  • Family: Asteraceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Dandelion is one of the most common broadleaf weeds in Massachusetts. It grows 5-50 cm tall and can be identified by its long green stems, bright yellow flowers, and puffball seed heads. 

It spreads by seeds and root segments and develops a deep taproot that makes it hard to eradicate upon establishment. Common dandelion is a weed of every habitat including fertile lawns, cultivated fields, roadsides, golf courses, and rocky hillsides. 

It is native to:

  • Europe
  • Asia

Removal Methods

  • Cultural control: Maintaining a dense and healthy lawn can help minimize dandelion occurrence. Coarse bark and wood sawdust mulch can also be used to control the weed.
  • Mechanical control: Hand pulling, digging, and flaming are effective for eradicating small infestations. We recently wrote about effective tools for dandelion removal.
  • Chemical control: Applying herbicides containing glyphosate (Roundup), dicamba, 2,4-D Ester, triclopyr, and MCPA in spring or fall will effectively eradicate dandelions. 
READ ALSO:  List of 10 Most Common Weeds in North Carolina

4. Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)

Hand pulling and glyphosate application can help eradicate Giant hogweed
Hand pulling and glyphosate application can help eradicate Giant hogweed. Image: Canva/bruskov
  • Local Name: Giant hogweed
  • Family: Apiaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Biennial or perennial

Giant hogweed is a biennial or perennial herb 2-4.5 m tall. It has hollow stems 5-10 cm, large compound leaves 120 cm wide, and large umbrella-like flower heads about 75 cm in diameter.

The plant reproduces through seeds and spreading roots. It is a notable weed of Granville and other areas in Massachusetts. 

It is also known to cause skin reactions when the sap comes into contact with skin and sunlight. Common symptoms include liquid-filled blisters, severe rashes, and sensitivity to sunlight.

It is native to:

  • Caucasus mountain region
  • Asia

Removal Methods

  • Mechanical control: Hand digging before the weed flowers can help eradicate the weed. Ensure that you remove the entire root system to prevent regrowth.
  • Chemical control: Spot spray a herbicide containing glyphosate on each plant in spring as the flowering stalk elongates for effective control. 

5. Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

Mugwort is a weed of roadsides, forest edges, and waste areas
Mugwort is a weed of roadsides, forest edges, and waste areas. Image: Flickr/lotusjohnson
  • Local Name: Common mugwort, Wild chrysanthemum
  • Family: Asteraceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Mugwort is a perennial herb that grows 60-140 cm tall. It has erect purplish stems that become woody later in the season. The leaves are alternate, dark green, about 2-5 cm long, lobed with sharp points, smooth on the upper surface, but contain white to gray hairs on the underside.

It mainly reproduces by rhizomes, making it a persistent and invasive weed. Mugwort is a common weed of roadsides, waste areas, old fields, and forest edges in locations such as Sudbury, Natick, Gill, and Allston.

It is native to:

  • Europe
  • Asia
  • Africa

Removal Methods

  • Mechanical control: Persistent hand pulling when the plants are young can eradicate the weed over time.
  • Cultural control: Maintaining a dense and healthy lawn will discourage growth. Laying a thick layer of mulch or landscape fabric in the garden will also help prevent mugwort growth.
  • Chemical control: Apply selective herbicides like clopyralid and triclopyr on lawns and turfgrasses or non-selective herbicides containing glyphosate on other landscapes.

6. Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

Common purslane
Common purslane. Image:clemson.edu
  • Local Name: Common purslane, Purslane
  • Family: Portulacaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Annual

Known as one of the most common broadleaf weeds, purslane grows up to 50 cm in height. The plant has thick, fleshy reddish stems that are mostly prostate, alternate or opposite leaves located at stem joints and ends, and yellow flowers. 

READ ALSO:  Cardiospermum halicacabum (Balloon vine)

It can be found on lawns, cultivated areas, waste areas, and barren driveways. Common purslane was first identified in the United States in Massachusetts.

Due to its high seed production, it can form dense mats over a short period of time, smothering native vegetation.  

It is native to:

  • North Africa
  • Middle East
  • India

Removal Methods

  • Mechanical control: Hand pulling or hoeing when the plants are young can help reduce the weed infestation. Ensure that you remove the root parts and clear the fallen seeds to prevent regrowth.
  • Cultural control: Lay organic, rock, or plastic mulch to smother the seedlings and prevent further growth and spread.
  • Chemical control: Apply pre-emergent herbicides like dithiopyr, benefin + oryzalin, or benefin + trifluralin at seedling emergence. Post-emergent herbicides like dicamba, glyphosate, and 2,4-D, and can be used in turfgrasses and landscapes.

7. Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis)

Large crabgrass is one of the most troublesome weeds in Massachusetts
Large crabgrass is one of the most troublesome weeds in Massachusetts. Image: Flickr/nysipm
  • Local Name: Crabgrass, Large crabgrass, and Hairy crabgrass
  • Family: Poaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Annual

Crabgrass is a summer annual grass that grows 60-90 cm tall. It has flat spreading purplish culms with pale and hairy bluish-green leaves. 

Due to its rapid growth and high persistence to a variety of dry weather and high temperatures, it is one of the most troublesome weeds in Massachusetts.

It is commonly found in lawns, gardens, golf courses, athletic fields, and waste areas across Massachusetts.

It is native to:

  • Europe
  • Asia

Removal Methods

  • Cultural control: Maintaining a healthy turfgrass through proper mowing, irrigation, and fertilization can help discourage crabgrass growth.
  • Chemical control: Apply pre-emergent herbicides including benefin, pendimethalin, and trifluralin in late April or early May before or the time it’s in full bloom. Repeated applications of post-emergent herbicides like quinclorac, mesotrione, and dithiopyr when the crabgrass is in the 2-5 leaf stage can provide effective control.

8. Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

Ground ivy is a low-growing herb commonly found in lawns, thickets, floodplains, and disturbed sites
Ground ivy is a low-growing herb commonly found in lawns, thickets, floodplains, and disturbed sites. Image: Canva/krianti
  • Local Name: Creeping charlie, Gill-over-the-ground, and Robin-runaway
  • Family: Lamiaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Perennial

Ground Ivy is a low-growing herb that grows 30-50 cm tall. It has creeping and prostate stems that are square in shape. The leaves are opposite, kidney-shaped, with round-toothed margins. Flowers are located on axillary clusters and are 2-lipped, funnel-shaped, and bluish-purple in colour.

Creeping charlie is common in lawns, thickets, floodplains, and disturbed sites. Due to its rapid growth, and long life cycle, it is considered a troublesome weed in many areas in Massachusetts.

It is native to:

  • Europe
  • Asia

Removal Methods

  • Mechanical control: Hand pulling is effective for small infestations. Replace the gaps with the desired turf to discourage Ground ivy growth. 
  • Chemical control: Apply herbicides containing triclopyr, dicamba, 2,4-D, and MCPP in early fall for large infestations.
READ ALSO:  10 most common weeds with thorns

9. Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica)

Japanese knotweed is listed as a noxious and invasive weed in Massachusetts
Japanese knotweed is listed as a noxious and invasive weed in Massachusetts. Image: Canva/glock
  • Local Name: Reynoutria fleece flower, Sally rhubarb, German sausage, Pea-shooter plant, Japanese bamboo, Japanese fleece flower, and fleece flower
  • Family: Polygonaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Japanese knotweed is a perennial herb 3m in height. It can be identified by its hollow light green stems with red flecks, broadly ovate leaves, and small white-greenish flowers located in long panicles. 

While the plant is erect, its rhizomes can extend up to 60 meters, forming new plants that create a dense canopy in summer. It is considered a noxious and invasive weed in Massachusetts and is prohibited for sale.

It is native to: 

  • Japan
  • China
  • Taiwan 
  • Korean Peninsula

Removal Methods

  • Mechanical control: Hand-pulling is effective for eradicating young plants.
  • Chemical control: Applications of herbicides containing 2,4-D amine, glyphosate, triclopyr, and imazapyr can provide better control in larger areas.

10. Blue Violet

Common blue violet
Common blue violet. Image: Canva/samudri7
  • Local Name: Common blue violet, Meadow violet, and Hooded blue violet
  • Family: Violaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Blue violet is a perennial plant that can grow up to 50 cm tall. It has a short stem, hairy or smooth, that arises from a rosette of heart-shaped leaves about 10 cm long. The 5-petaled flowers are blue or purple with white hues.

The rapidly growing plant is a common weed of lawns, roadsides, meadows, streambeds, and open woodlands. 

It is native to:

  • Eastern and Central America 

Removal Methods

  • Mechanical control: Hand-pulling the plants from the roots is an effective option for small infestations.
  • Cultural control: Maintaining a healthy lawn through proper fertilization and mowing will discourage growth.
  • Chemical control: Apply herbicides containing triclopyr and 2,4-D for effective control. 

11. Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

Pokeweed has reddish-purple stems, large leaves, and dark purple to black berries
Pokeweed has reddish-purple stems, large leaves, and dark purple to black berries . Image: Canva/ulianaoliinyk
  • Local Name: Common pokeweed, Inkberry, Pokeberry, Poke, and Pigeonberry
  • Family: Phytolaccaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Pokeweed is a perennial herb that grows up to 3m tall. It can be identified by its upright, thick reddish stems, broadly ovate leaves, and dark purple to black berries. 

Common pokeweed is a weed of ornamental landscapes, orchards, vineyards, parks, forest edges, and disturbed areas. 

It is native to:

  • The North, central, west, and southern United States

Removal Methods

  • Mechanical control: Hand pulling is a feasible option for removing small plants. For more established plants with an extensive root system, digging and tillage can provide better ]control.
  • Chemical control: Select a herbicide containing dicamba, 2,4-D, or glyphosate depending on the area and size of the weed.

12. Hair Fescue (Festuca filiformis)

Hair fescue is a weed of gardens, meadows, and other natural habitats
Hair fescue is a weed of gardens, meadows, and other natural habitats. Image: Inaturalist/ben
  • Local Name: Fine-leaved sheep fescue and slender fescue
  • Family: Poaceae
  • Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Hair fescue is a clump-forming turf grass that grows 20-60 cm tall. The grass has distinct slender and wiry culms with flowers attached to the branches. The leaf blades are narrow, about 0.2-0.6 mm wide.

The grass is valued for its fine texture and ability to thrive in low-maintenance landscapes. In some cases, it can behave as an invasive weed, outcompeting desired vegetation in gardens, meadows, woodland, and other natural habitats. 

It is native to: 

  • Europe

Removal Methods

  • Chemical control: Herbicides containing pronamide, foramsulfuron, flazasufluron, and glyphosate are effective in controlling hair fescue.