But some weeds with heart-shaped leaves and brightly colored flowers are not the best ornamentals. Instead, they are invasive plants that can choke good plants.

However, some, such as the Wild Violet, produce purple flowers in the spring, and you can use them as ground cover or in rock gardens. 

Here are ten plants that have heart-shaped leaves.

1. Velvetleaf

• Scientific Name: Abutilon theophrasti
• Family: Malvaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual
• Native Range: Southern Asia

Velvetleaf is one of the many weeds with heart-shaped leaves. It is an annual plant native to Southern Asia and grows during the warmer seasons and germinates in the spring, with the flowers appearing in the summer.

Velvetleaf grows to a height of up to eight feet. It has branched stout stems covered in downy hairs. Also, the plant has large and heart-shaped leaves with pointed tips at their ends.

Velvetleaf has bright yellow flowers with five petals attached at the base. All the flowers grow in clusters or individually on stalks.

Velvetleaf spreads through seeds that can remain dormant and viable for many years. Therefore, the best way to eliminate them is to use a pre-emergent herbicide.

2. Black Bindweed

• Scientific Name: Fallopia convolvulus
• Family: Polygonaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual
• Native Range: Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa

Black bindweed is a fast-growing annual weed native throughout Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. It is among the many invasive outdoor plants with heart-shaped leaves.

Black bindweed grows to a height of up to 1.5 meters. It has alternate, broad, heart-shaped leaves with a petiole. Also, its flowers are small and can be greenish pink or greenish white.

When the stems of black bindweed grow, they twine clockwise around the stems of other good plants.

You can prevent this by applying an herbicide like glyphosate to the plant in the fall when it is actively growing. However, treatment should be continuous to reduce seed production.

3. Hairy Bittercress

• Scientific Name: Cardamine hirsuta
• Family: Brassicaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual or Biennial
• Native Range: Western Asia

Hairy Bittercress is an annual and sometimes biennial weed native to Western Asia. Although it is an invasive plant, some countries use it as food in green salads.

Hairy Bittercress grows to a height of up to 12 inches. The plant is usually erect with branches near the base.

The leaves of the Hairy Bittercress weed grow in a rosette at the base of the stem. They have up to 15 leaflets and are ovate. Also, the plant has white flowers with white petals.

When Hairy Bittercress becomes invasive, hand pulling or hoeing becomes the best method to remove them. Alternatively, use a pre-emergent to prevent its regrowth.

4. Bermuda Buttercup

• Scientific Name: Oxalis pes-caprae
• Family: Oxalidaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial
• Native Range: South Africa

Bermuda Buttercup is a perennial weed native to South Africa. It is a small plant with heart-shaped leaves because it can only grow to a height of 45 centimeters.

Bermuda Buttercup is easily identifiable because of its brightly-colored yellow flowers composed of five petals. The plant has a short vertical stem attached to a pale brown underground bulb.

Bermuda Buttercup has clover-like leaves shaped like a heart arising from an enlarged basal stem tip. Each leaflet has a hairy lower surface.

Bermuda Buttercup is an invasive weed that can be difficult to control mechanically. Therefore, chemical application is effective in killing it.

5. Sweet Violet

• Scientific Name: Viola odorata
• Family: Violaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial
• Native Range: Europe and Asia

Sweet Violet is a perennial weed native to Europe and Asia. The plant blooms in the late winter and early spring.

Sweet Violet is a low-growing plant with hairy, heart-shaped leaves and a deep green color. It has purple or blue-violet flowers with five oval petals. However, the plant sometimes has white or lilac flowers.

Sweet Violet has a long taproot system and is among wild plants with heart-shaped leaves. Therefore, you can eliminate it by hand pulling to remove the roots. But a permanent solution involves applying a herbicide.

6. Japanese Morning Glory

• Scientific Name: Ipomoea nil
• Family: Convolvulaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual or Perennial
• Native Range: Tropical Americas (Central America and Mexico)

Japanese Morning Glory is technically a perennial plant. But depending on the climate where it is naturalized, the plant can be an annual.

Despite its name, Japanese Morning Glory is not native to Japan. Instead, it is native to tropical Americas, especially Central America and Mexico.

Japanese Morning Glory is a climber with twinning stems. Its stems can twine up to five centimeters.

Also, it has ovate to circular leaves, with their base heart-shaped. Japanese Morning Glory produces blue to reddish-purple flowers with whitish tubes.

The plant can be invasive in fertile soils. Thus, you can remove it by hoeing or applying a chemical solution.

7. Henbit deadnettle

• Scientific Name: Lamium amplexicaule
• Family: Lamiaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual
• Native Range: Europe, Asia, Northern Africa

Henbit deadnettle is an annual weed native to Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. The plant grows to a height of 9.8 inches with a soft, finely hairy stem.

Henbit deadnettle has rounded, heart-shaped leaves with lobbed margins on opposite ends. It produces pink to purple flowers that emerge from the step where the leaf joins the stem.

Henbit deadnettle has seeds that germinate in the fall. Thus, the plant flowers early in the spring.

You can eliminate Henbit deadnettle before its seeds germinate using a herbicide. Hand pulling or hoeing can also remove its roots if it has invaded. We discussed the best henbit elimination methods earlier.

8. Yellow Wood Sorrel

• Scientific Name: Oxalis stricta
• Family: Oxalidaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual and Perennial
• Native Range: North America, Eurasia

Yellow Wood Sorrel is an annual and perennial weed native to North America and Eurasia. The plant is a low-lying weed that can grow up to 38 centimeters tall.

Yellow Wood Sorrel is easily recognizable because of its light-green, clover- or heart-shaped leaves. It has small, delicate flowers that are yellow.

Yellow Wood Sorrel spreads by the seed. Its seeds can disperse up to four meters away.

The best way to deal with Yellow Wood Sorrel is to hoe it or hand pull it before it sets seed or flowers. Since it requires full sun to grow, you can smother it with a deep layer of soil or mulch.

9. Creeping Charlie

• Scientific Name: Glechoma hederacea
• Family: Lamiaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial
• Native Range: Europe

Creeping Charlie is a ground-cover plant with heart-shaped leaves. It is a perennial weed native to Europe but naturalized worldwide.

Creeping Charlie has heart-shaped toothed leaves and purple flowers. Its petioles are long and attached to square stems rooting at the nodes.

It is an invasive weed in North America that spreads by stolon or seeds. It grows aggressively and can kill other plants that come in contact with it.

Creeping Charlie has an extensive root system that can be challenging to eradicate through mechanical means like hand pulling or hoeing. 

Therefore, chemical control is the only effective method of eliminating Creeping Charlie.

10. Giant Knotweed

• Scientific Name: Reynoutria sachalinensis
• Family: Polygonaceae
• Native Range: Asia, Russia

Giant Knotweed is a perennial plant native to Asia and Russia. The plant grows to a height of four meters with strong, extensively spreading rhizomes.

Giant Knotweed has small, sparse, greenish flowers with heart-shaped leaves and a crenate margin. Its stem is upright, round, and hollow with swollen nodes resembling bamboo shoots.

Giant Knotweed spreads through rhizomes. If it invades your garden, you can remove it through hand-pulling. However, chemical control is more effective in preventing its regrowth.

11. Asarabacca

• Scientific Name: Asarum europaeum
• Family: Aristolochiaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial
• Native Range: Europe

Asarabacca, or European wild ginger, is a perennial weed native to Europe. The plant has stems that grow to 15 centimeters, each with two leaves.

Asarabacca has heart-shaped dark green and glossy leaves. The plant has solitary flowers that are brownish towards their ends and dark purple toward the center.

You can remove Asarabacca by hand pulling or hoeing. Chemical application is also effective in eliminating the weed.

Have your say?

Which weeds with heart-shaped leaves and brightly colored flowers have you maintained in your garden? 

Carla Etheridge

Carla is a student pursuing a B.S in Agricultural Systems Technology. With a passion for landscaping for over 4 years, Carla loves plants. She has previously contributed to several other sites in the space before joining InsightWeeds.

The post List of weeds with heart-shaped leaves appeared first on InsightWeeds.

While most of these weed plants are referred to as “weed,” it’s important that you identify them by their name and features. Once you’ve done so, you’ll find eradicating and controlling them easier.

However, other weeds are attractive that instead of getting rid of them, you can relocate them to another place or leave them.

These are 20 common weeds with long narrow leaves and how to control or eradicate them.

1. Purslane

The common purslane, Portulaca oleracea, is an annual (and also tropical perennial) succulent plant native to North Africa and Southern Europe.

It is thought to contain nutritional value and can be eaten raw or added to food salad.

The plant may grow as tall as 16 inches high and has smooth, reddish prostrate stems. Its leaves are clustered at the stem’s joints and ends, producing yellow flowers.

The best time to get rid of purslane is at its early stage of maturity, and you can do so by hand pulling them. You can also use herbicides, which are effective when the weeds are young.

2. Field bindweed

Scientifically named Convolvulus arvensis, the field bindweed is a herbaceous perennial plant that grows on walls and fences.

The weed plant is native to North America, Europe, and Asia.

The bindweed can grow up to 6.5 feet in length and has pinkish-white flowers that bloom and produce a pleasant fragrance.

The stems are slender, branched, and deciduous, with alternate leaves with pointed lobes at the base.  

The effective way to control or eradicate bindweed is by removing the plant from its root system.

You can also apply herbicides or landscape fabric on top of it to prevent seed production.

3. Pigweed

Pigweed’s scientific name is Amaranthus, but it is also known as wild spinach, redroot pigweed, and green amaranth.

It is among the annual weeds with long narrow leaves native to North and South America.

The pigweed’s key features include simple green oval leaves and round seedpods that produce many seeds.

Its flowers are purplish-pink with dark pink stripes running down them. They’re common in areas with high sun exposure and are edible –often as an addition to salads.

The best way to eradicate pigweed in your lawn or garden is by pulling out the weed before it flowers.

Then, since it thrives in light for germination, mulch the weeds with 3 to 6 inches of mulch layers.

4. Dandelion

Dandelions, scientifically named Leontodon taraxacum, are perennial plants that grow in temperate regions in areas with well-drained and moist soils.

The plant species varies with native regions such as North America, Europe, and Asia.

Its bright yellow flowers characterize it. It often grows on lawns and appears through cracks in sidewalks and driveways.

Despite being a weed, the plant is used for medicinal purposes and can be added to salads.

The best and most effective method to eradicate dandelions is by digging up the plant from its roots. For this method to be effective, you might need special dandelion removal tools.

NOTE: You can also eliminate dandelion using herbicides, but the weed may keep coming back, especially if you haven’t destroyed its root system.

5. Common thistle

The common thistle, whose botanical name is Cirsium vulgare, is a perennial plant with long narrow leaves native to Europe.

The weed is commonly found in pastures, meadows, and roadsides and is native to Europe and Asia.

It’s characterized by dark purple flowers blooming in spring and spiny and lance-shaped leaves.

It also has a deep taproot system that anchors it firmly to the soil for support, water, and nutrients.

Digging up thistles isn’t an effective eradication approach since they’re invasive weeds that can regenerate through their roots.

Instead, the most effective ways of controlling common thistle are by hand-pulling, mowing, and using herbicides.

6. Creeping speedwell

The creeping speedwell, whose botanic name is Veronica filiformis, is a perennial weed with hairy stems.

It’s native to Europe, Asia, northern Turkey, and the Caucasus and was introduced to the United States in the 1920s.

The weed can grow up to 2 to 5 inches high and 20 to 30 inches wide upon maturity.

It produces blue, pinkish-purple, or white flowers and reproduces primarily by seeds. It mostly grows in lawns, gardens, or turf grass areas with moist soils.

Creeping speedwell can be controlled by regular mowing and applying the mecoprop or ioxynil herbicide mixture in spring or autumn.

You can also manually remove the weeds to control their spread.

7. Groundsel

Common groundsel, botanically called Senecio vulgaris, is an annual flowering weed native to Europe, parts of North Africa, and northern Asia. It has then been distributed to various habitats worldwide.

The long, thin-leaf plant features pinnately lobed leaves about 3 inches long and covered with soft fine hairs.

Its stems are hollow from the top to its base, producing yellow flowers. Furthermore, it has a shallow taproot and spreads itself by reseeding.

The recommended method of controlling the weed plant is by hand pulling and tilling.

You can also use herbicides, but they may affect crops such as forage legumes, mint, carrots, and other non-grass crops.

8. Cleavers

Cleavers’ botanical name is Galium aparine, an annual weed plant native to European countries.

They are easily identified by their slender sprawling stems that grow up to one meter in length.

They also have slender green leaves and little green-white flowers that develop green or purple fruits.

You can eradicate it by hand pulling it, as they are easy to uproot and remove. However, you should remove it once it rears its head to minimize regeneration.

9. Marestail

Also known as horseweed, marestail’s scientific name is Erigeron Canadensis. It’s an annual plant native to North America and has spread throughout Asia, Australia, and Europe.

Its key features include a height of about 1.5 meters with hairy stems. Its leaves are slender and unstalked with coarsely toothed margins.

Its flowers have a distinguishable white or purple ring and yellow florets.

Since they are resistant to herbicides, it’s recommended that one uses herbicides such as burndown herbicides in fall or early spring before they mature.

10. Green foxtail

Its scientific name is Setaria viridis, an annual and ubiquitous grass weed native to Eurasia. It later grew on lawns, crop fields, gardens, and landscapes in the United States.

The green foxtail grows up to three inches high, and its leaves are half an inch wide. Its seed head is whip-like with small dark green brittles and looks like a foxtail. It also has fibrous roots.

It’s advised not to use herbicides to eradicate green foxtail as it may cause more damage than good. Instead, you can hand-pull it from your garden or yard.

11. Ribwort plantain

Ribwort plantain, known scientifically as Plantago lanceolata, is a perennial weed native to Eurasia. It was later distributed to North America, Australia, and other countries with suitable habitats.

It can be identified by its ribbed lance-shaped leaves and soft hairy stems. Its flower stalk is deeply furrowed, and its head gradually turns brown and seeds.

The main way to prevent these weeds is by keeping your soil healthy and aerated. If present, the best weed treatment is by pulling them out, including the roots, before they have a chance to spread their seeds.

12. Couch grass

Its botanical name is Elymus repens, a perennial outdoor plant with long leaves. The grass is native to Europe, Asia, northwest Africa, and the Arctic biome.

Its characterized by its underground stems with creeping shoots. Unfortunately, it also has a deep network of roots that spread quickly and choke valuable plants.

Small infestations can be cleared out by hand-pulling them during springtime.

It’s commonly referred to as an invasive weed, and its control measures include digging them to the roots and covering the area with mulch to prevent regrowth.

NOTE: Make sure you use an appropriate weeding tool for the best results.

13. Chickweed

Chickweed, scientifically called Stellaria media, is an annual winter weed that grows in cool regions.

The plant species is native to Eurasia and has been naturalized worldwide. It grows in moist soils or temperatures between 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Its characteristics include lush green mates with small, white star-shaped flowers. The leaves are green, oval, and hairless, while its stems are terete and hairless.

It’s very difficult to control chickweed because of its invasive capabilities. Therefore, the best method is hand-pulling or cultivating it at its early stages of maturity.

It would be best to mulch the cultivated area with organic mulch wood chips to prevent the seeds from germinating.

14. Crabgrass

Scientifically known as Digitaria sanguinalis, crabgrass is an annual weed that thrives in moist soil, making it difficult to control once it has germinated.

The weed is native to Europe and Eurasia, having later been introduced in the United States in 1849 as a forage crop.

Its key features include smooth stems with circular grooves. Its leaves are long and narrow and yellowish-green to lime green.

Crabgrass is easy to identify; once done, they are hand-pulled or mowed to eradicate them when young.

You can also use crabgrass removal tools or a crabgrass preventer such as Tenacity.

Ensure you don’t overwater your garden to prevent crabgrass’s uncontrolled growth and spread.

15. Shepherd’s purse

Shepherd’s purse, whose scientific name is Capsella bursa-pastoris, is a low but quick-growing plant that’s invasive and difficult to eliminate.

It’s an annual flowering weed plant native to Eastern Europe and Asia Minor.

It grows three to 1.64 feet long and produces triangular or heart-shaped seedpods with seeds that remain productive in the ground for several years.

It also has pointed leaves that grasp the long stem and its small and white flowers.

The best method to control shepherd’s purse is by regularly pulling the weeds and mowing the lawn for the best results.

Next, mulch the remaining weed 3 inches deep or use herbicide before it flowers.

16. Sandbur

Sandbur, botanically called Cenchrus, is an annual and perennial weed plant native to North America, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific.

It can be identified by its 40 inches height and widely spread and shallow roots. The leaf blades are twisted and have a fringed ligule at the leaf’s base.

The recommended way of managing sandburs is by regularly mowing your lawn and maintaining your lawn.

You can also pull it or fertilize your lawn or garden in the fall to crowd out any sandbur seedlings in spring.

17. Canada thistle

Canada thistle, whose scientific name is Cirsium arvense, is a weed plant that spreads by seed. It’s native to parts of Europe and was introduced in America in the 16^th century.

Its common characteristics include purple spiky flowers, long skinny leaves that form arrow-like shapes, and hairy prickly stems. Its seeds are similar to dandelion seed heads but more significant.

One way of minimizing infestation of Canada thistle is by mowing it into the soil before planting. You can also snip off the weed at its base using garden scissors.

It’s, however, not a good idea to uproot the weed as it can regrow with the tiniest portion of root in the soil.

18. Smartweed

Smartweed, botanically referred to as Persicaria lapathifolia, is an annual herb native to parts of Europe.

It can be identified by its red erect stems, a height of 6 feet when fully grown, and dark pink flowers. The green leaves are alternate and hairy, while its blades have a dark-colored mark in the middle.

Maintaining a healthy and well-kept lawn or garden can prevent the weed from growing.

If there’s a small infestation, you can pull them out or use organic herbicides but avoid spraying on your plants.

19. Nutsedge

The nutsedge weed, whose scientific name is Cyperus rotundus, is an annual and perennial weed that quickly spreads by rhizomes and seeds.

They thrive in moist and dry soils and are native to Africa, southern Asia, and southern and central Europe.

It easily resembles a blade of grass with its dark green V-shaped stem. The weeds grow to a diameter of up to six inches or more and release tiny greenish-yellow triangular seeds when they mature.

Nutsedge is spread through its rhizomatous roots and seeds, making it difficult to eradicate.

That’s why it’s important to eliminate them as soon as you identify them using the herbicide glyphosate.

20. Horsetail

Horsetail weed, scientifically called Equisetum arvense, is a perennial weed that grows in wet or moist soil.

It’s a tall plant with long thin leaves and native to the Arctic regions and the Northern Hemisphere.

The weed has thin, green branches, long leaves, and erect and succulent stems. Furthermore, it’s a poisonous weed to animals, especially if consumed in huge amounts.

Common control methods such as pulling, tilling, herbicides, and smothering are ineffective in eradicating horsetail weed.

The best way to eradicate the weed is by changing the soil conditions, such as drainage, pH, and soil fertility.

Carter

IW’s Chief Editor and a lover of green spaces.

The post 20 weeds with long narrow leaves appeared first on InsightWeeds.

Some of them – particularly weeds with huge leaves – look like actual plants or flowers. Other leafy weeds are even edible, yet they might give the false impression of a non-invasive plant.

Whatever the case might be, having big leaf weeds growing in your garden is not ideal. They are likely to be aggressive and can harm your plants. Some can even be poisonous and thus a huge hazard if you have kids or pets.

These are some of the most common weeds with large leaves you are likely to find growing in your garden:

1. Common Burdock (Arctium minus)

Common burdock, also known as lesser burdock, is a biennial weed plant that primarily grows on lawns and gardens.

It can also be found on landscaped gardens, paddocks, pastures, and along the road and streams.

Burdock can be identified by its large, heart-shaped leaves that resemble elephant ears. The leaves have a basal rosette formation during their first year and have a hairy texture on the underside.

Another distinguishing feature is purple to lavender flowers, which form at the leaf axis or the end of branches.

Common Burdock is an edible plant – usually the roots, leaves, and stalk. However, the plant is highly invasive, with a large root system that guarantees survival.

It also spreads easily and quickly through the seeds. More than that, it is vulnerable to diseases such as powdery mildew and root rot and spread them to your plants.

Therefore, removing it as soon as you spot it is better.

2. Broadleaf plantain (Plantago major)

Broadleaf plantain, also known as greater plantain or white man’s foot is a perennial flowering plant native to Europe and Asia.

However, it is widely naturalized, and you can find it anywhere in the world. It usually grows on gardens, lawns, meadows, roadsides, and even sidewalks (from the cracks).

Broadleaf plantain is characterized by huge oval-shaped leaves that grow between 5 and 20 cm long.

They have a smooth surface and margin and grow in a rosette formation close to the ground. The plant produces small, greenish-brown flowers at the top of the stem.

Broadleaf plantain is a beneficial weed plant, with the leaves being edible. However, it spreads easily through seeds, with a single plant producing up to 20,000 seeds. It is one of the most common weeds with huge leaves.

3. Pokeweed (Phytolacca Americana)

Pokeweed, also known as American pokeweed is an herbaceous perennial plant native to the North American region. It sometimes grows in yards and gardens, but you are more likely to find it in forest edges, fence rows, and pastures.

American pokeweed is another one of the weeds with very huge leaves, which can grow up to 35 centimeters long.

They grow in an alternating pattern, and are medium green in color, with the underside having a lighter shade. It has white to greenish flowers (can also be pink), and green berries that turn dark purple when they ripen.

American pokeweed is an edible and beneficial plant. Young leaves and stems can be cooked and eaten. Juice that is extracted from berries can be used as a dye.

However, the plant is highly poisonous, especially the roots and berries. As it matures, the leaves and stems also become deadly.

4. Hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium)

Hedge bindweed, also known as Rutland beauty or bugle vine, is an herbaceous perennial plant that is found in temperate areas. It is one of the lawn weeds with big leaves that you are likely to find growing on your property.

Hedge bindweed leaves are matte green in color and can grow up to 10 centimeters long and 7 centimeters broad. It produces beautiful, white or pale pink flowers with dark stripes, which bloom in summer or late spring.

Hedge bindweed is one of the most aggressive weeds with huge leaves. It spreads quickly through its rhizome root systems. It is also self-seeding and can produce seeds that remain active for up to 30 years.

Lastly, the plant creeps and binds – hence the name – itself against other plants. Unchecked, it can weaken and even pull down shrubs and small trees.

5. Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti)

Velvetleaf is an annual weed plant native to Asia but widespread in several regions of the world. It is a common sight in gardens, cornfields, landscape sites, and along roadsides and rail tracks.

Velvetleaf is a tall plant – growing up to 8 feet high. It is one of the tallest weeds with huge leaves.

Its flowers are yellow in color. The leaves are covered in short hairs, which produces a soft, velvety texture – hence the name.

The plant has many beneficial uses – it is edible, has medicinal uses, and is even used to make ropes and nets.

However, it is an aggressive and highly competitive weed, which steals nutrients from other plants.

6. Pigweed (Amaranthus spp.)

Pigweed is the name given to several species of perennial or annual plants, which are also known as amaranths. The plants are thought to be native to Asia and the Americas regions, but they are currently spread to every continent.

The pigweed plants have large leaves – up to 15 centimeters long – which grow in opposite or alternating formations.

They are oval-shaped and have a dark or light green color (though some plants have leaves with purple hues). The flowers, on the other hand, range from greenish to crimson.

Pigweed is edible, with the leaves being used as vegetables and seeds ground into porridge flour. In fact, some people don’t consider it to be a weed.

The plant is even cultivated commercially in some areas. However, it spreads easily through seeds, making it pretty invasive.

7. Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)

Poison ivy, also known as eastern poison ivy, is a flowering plant that is native to Asia and eastern regions of North America. It is poisonous and causes painful itches and rash on the skin on contact.

Poison ivy has almond-shaped trifoliate leaves, which grow up to 12 centimeters long. In rare cases, the weed can have massive leaves that are up to 30 centimeters long.

The leaves are usually light or dark green in color but turn to bright orange, red, or yellow in the fall season. This is also one of the most common weeds with huge leaves.

8. Bitter dock (Rumex obtusifolius)

Bitter dock (broad-leaved dock) is a perennial weed that is common in pastures and gardens. It is native to Europe but has spread widely to all continents. It is a highly invasive plant that spreads quickly through seeds and an aggressive root system.

The bitter dock plant has large oval-shaped leaves that grow up to 30 cm long and 15 cm wide. They have a rounded tip, cordate base, and are slightly wavy at the edges.

The leaves are also smooth on the top and hairy on the underside. The plant produces small, greenish flowers that turn reddish-brown as they mature.

9. Common figwort (Scrophularia nodosa)

Common figwort, also known as woodland figwort, is a weed plant that grows in shady areas such as gardens, wastelands, cultivated fields. It is primarily found in the temperate regions of Northern America.

Common figwort grows tall and can reach up to 150 cm high. It has large leaves with toothed margins, ovate bases, and lanceolate tips, which grow opposite each other.

The plant produces globular flowers that are greenish-purple with hues of white.

10. Princess tree (Paulownia tomentosa)

Princess tree, also known as paulownia or empress tree, is another weed you can find in your garden, woods, or fencerows. It has a tall, thick stalk and produces very attractive flowers.

But make no mistake! It is an invasive species that produces several million seeds that germinate anywhere with small amounts of soil.

The Princess tree is one of the tall weeds with large leaves, which reach up to 12 inches long and 9 inches wide. They are heart-shaped and hairy on both sides.

Another distinctive feature is its flowers, which are tubular and pale purple in color.

11. Honesty (Lunaria annua)

Honesty is a flowering plant that is native to Asia and the Balkans but naturalized throughout the world in temperate regions.

It is known by several local names such as silver dollars, money plant, Pope’s money, coins of Judas, or Chinese money. This is in reference to its disc-shaped silicles (fruits/seedpods), which look a lot like silver coins.

Honesty weed has large, pointed, oval-shaped leaves. They are coarse, have serrations, and are hairy.

In summer and spring, the plant blooms attractive white or violet flowers, and conspicuous silicles that are brown, green, or translucent (silvery).

12. Redshank (Persicaria maculosa)

Redshank is an annual plant that grows close to human activity. You can find it in gardens, yards, roadsides, along creeks, and even from cracks in the sidewalks.

The plant has several medicinal benefits and its young leaves are edible. However, it is invasive – spreading fast once introduced in an area – and competes for nutrients with other plants.

You can identify the redshank weed by its narrow but long and massive ovate-shaped leaves. They have distinctive brown or black spots in the center and have an entire margin.

The plant also produces small, seed-like, pink flowers, which grow at the end of the stem in a dense spike.

13. Hedge Woundwort (Starchycs sylvatica)

Hedge woundwort is a weed plant that is a common site on gardens, meadows, in the woods, along hedgerows, and on roadsides.

It is highly invasive, spreading through seeds that scatter far and with ease. It also has a vast rhizome root system, which spreads vigorously once it takes hold.

You can identify hedge woundwort by its stem, leaves, and flowers. The stems are hairy, the same as the leaves.

Its leaves are also large (up to 15 cm long and 5 cm wide), dark green, heart-shaped, and have a toothed margin. On the other hand, its flowers have a conspicuous magenta-pink color, with white markings.

14. Garlic mustard (Aliaria petiolata)

Garlic mustard is a biennial flower plant that comes from the mustard family. You can find it growing on hedgerows, edge of the woods, gardens, and landscape sites.

It is an invasive weed species that produces several seeds that sprout and overwhelm other plants. The plant also produces toxic compounds, that leech into the soil and kill beneficial fungi.

Garlic mustard has heart-shaped leaves with a toothed margin. They have a garlic and mustard flavor hence the name. The leaves are added to food as a spice or eaten in salads in some areas. They are also said to exhibit medicinal properties.

Aside from the leaves, you can identify the plant by its white flowers with four petals. The flowers bloom around spring and summer and are edible.

15. Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioca)

Stinging nettle, also known as common nettle, is an herbaceous perennial plant native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Over time, it has naturalized and become endemic to all continents.

It has several benefits, from being used as food, medicine, and even raw materials for the textile industry.

However, it is an invasive species that is hard to eradicate. More than that, it is irritating, especially the stinging nettle hairs and the pollen that causes hay fever.

Stinging nettle has dark green leaves that grow opposite each other on the stem. They are pretty large, reaching up to 15 cm (length) and 5 cm (width).

The leaves are serrated and have tapered ends. The plant also produces tiny, greenish-white flowers in the summer, that grow in clusters from the stems.

16. Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica)

Japanese knotweed is a perennial plant that comes from the buckwheat and knotweed family. It is native to Asia, particularly Japan, but is a common sight in Europe and North America.

The weed commonly grows on hedgerows, riverbanks, waste grounds, and roadsides. But you can also find it in your garden.

Japanese knotweed has appealing red-brown stems, which turn green at the tip. It also sports bright green, heart-shaped leaves that grow alternately on the stem.

The leaves are large and broad (up to 15 cm long and 12 cm wide), have smooth surfaces, and an entire margin. As for the flowers, the plant produces small, greenish-white flowers, which are clustered along the stem.

Its root structure enables it to grow faster. Here’s a detailed guide for eliminating Japanese knotweed.

17. Russian Comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum)

Russian comfrey is a perennial plant, which is a hybrid of the rough and common comfrey plants. It primarily grows on roadsides, woodlands, and waste grounds. However, it can invade gardens and other cultivated lands.

Russian comfrey has large, lance-shaped leaves, which can grow up to 14 inches long. They are medium green in color and have a wavy margin.

Its flowers, on the other hand, are purplish-blue in color and appear around summer.

Russian comfrey has many benefits, from medicinal uses, and ironically, weed control. It is planted as a cover plant in some areas, to smother weeds and provide organic matter after cultivation.

However, this is one of the highly invasive weeds with huge leaves that have aggressive rhizome root systems that allow it to spread fast.

18. Green Alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens)

Green alkanet is a perennial plant native to the European region, but also common in most parts of the world.

It is a tall-growing plant, that is a common sight in shaded areas, and is often found close to buildings.

Green alkanet has large, green, hairy leaves that grow in a basal rosette formation in the lower part of the stem. On the other hand, those on the upper part are attached to the stem and grow in an alternating pattern.

The plant also produces beautiful blue flowers, which grow on the upper axis of the leaves.

19. Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)

Giant hogweed, also known as giant cow parsley or wild parsnip, is an herbaceous perennial plant.

It is native to the Eurasia region but has spread all over the world. The weed was primarily introduced to new areas as an ornamental plant.

Giant hogweed has giant compound leaves with three leaflets that are deeply lobbed. The lower leaves are massive, growing up to 1.5 meters across the stem.

The plant also produces small, white flowers, which develop into seed pods, with each producing over 1,000 seeds.

Giant hogweed spreads easily through its seeds. It also has a giant tap root system that makes it a nuisance to eradicate. It is also pretty poisonous, with the stem producing sap that causes skin irritation, lesions, and blisters.

20. Dame’s violet (Hesperis matronalis)

Dame’s violet is a flowering plant known by several local names, such as dame’s rocket, dame’s gillyflower, and summer lilac, among others.

It is native to Eurasia but has spread worldwide – cultivated mostly for its ornamental benefits.

Dame’s violet plant is growing tall–reaching heights up to 1 meter high. It produces several upright stems, which are hairy.

Its leaves are bright green, lanceolate-shaped, and have a toothed edge. They grow alternately on the stem and have short hairs on both the upper and lower parts.

Dame’s violet also produces conspicuous flowers ranging from white to lavender or purple. It blooms in late spring and early summer.

Conclusion

Looking to identify weed plants in your garden? The above are some of the invasive weeds with huge leaves.

Most of them are easily identified as weeds due to their aggressive nature. However, some can pass for flowers or beneficial plants, and others are even edible and cultivated for food.

Nonetheless, these plants are invasive weeds. If left uncontrolled, they can overwhelm your garden, making it hard to grow other plants.

Now that you know how to identify them, you can move on to the next step – finding the perfect eradication solution.

Related Guides

• List of the best free plant identification apps
• What is the best free tree identification app?
• Types of leaves and their botanical names
• Fastest-growing large-leaf plants

Carter

IW’s Chief Editor and a lover of green spaces.

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