Some of these weeds are very aggressive and difficult to control, especially if you don’t know the plants you are dealing with. Therefore, before you consider eradication techniques, you must know what weeds you are dealing with. 

Below is a look at some of the common weeds in Minnesota, their botanical names, identifying features, and control methods. 

1. Black Medic (Medicago lupulina) 

• Local Name: Black medic; Yellow trefoil 
• Family: Fabaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual (short-lived perennial) 

Black medic (yellow trefoil or hop clover) is a winter or summer annual plant in the legume or clover family. It has low-growing prostrate stems that can spread reach 2-3 feet growing from a central taproot. 

It has pinnate trifoliate leaves with three small leaflets, each measuring 12-18mm long and 3-10mm wide. The leaflets are covered with sparse hairs, have smooth margins serrated towards the end, and have a short, pointed tip at the apex. 

The plant produces rounded yellow flower heads comprising 10-30 tiny, clustered flowers. It also bears coiled, single-seed seed pods that turn black when ripe, hence the name “black medic.”

It is native to :

• Europe 
• Asia 
• Northern Africa
• East Africa

Removal methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling or digging with gardening tools is effective when dealing with young plants in the early stages of infestation. Pull or dig out the weeds when the soil is moist for the best results. 
• Cultural control: Black medic can be controlled through practices like fertilization, regular mowing, increasing the density of the turf, and maintaining adequate nitrogen levels. 
• Chemical control: It can be controlled with post-emergence herbicides like 2,4-D, dicamba, Fluroxypyr, flumioxazin, triclopyr, sulfentrazone, quinclorac, MCPP, and others.  

2. Common Burdock (Arctium minus)

• Local Name: Common burdock; lesser burdock 
• Family: Asteraceae 
• Annual or Perennial: Biennial 

Common burdock (lesser burdock, little burdock, button-bur, or wild rhubarb) is a biennial, herbaceous wildflower. It is a tall-growing, erect plant that can reach up to 1.8 meters while forming multiple branches. 

It has dark-green leaves that are ovate to heart-shaped with wavy or toothed margins and rounded or pointed at the apex. The leaf blades are large, with the basal ones reaching 30-60cm long and those up the stems reaching 50cm long. 

Common burdock produces small pink or purple flowers that emerge from the leaf axils or bloom in clusters at the tip of the stems. Individual flowerheads dry up and develop into burs with hooked, sticky bracts that aid seed dispersal. 

It is native to :

• Europe 
• Asia 

However, it is naturalized in several regions worldwide, including: 

• North America 
• South America
• Australia 

Removal methods 

There are multiple ways to get rid of burdock, including:

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling, digging, mowing, or plowing is an effective control solution when the weeds are young and before flowering. For more mature plants, the entire taproot must be dug out, lest the plant will regrow. 
• Natural control: Natural weed killers like horticultural vinegar (poured on the taproot remaining in the soil) and boiling water (applied on young plants) can help to eradicate these weeds. 
• Chemical: It can be eradicated by applying herbicides, such as dicamba, 2,4-D, and roundup (Glyphosate).  

3. Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea) 

• Local Name: Tall fescue 
• Family: Poaceae 
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Tall fescue is a cool-season perennial bunchgrass (clump-forming) that mainly invades lawns and pastures. Its erect-growing, unbranched stalks grow to 45-120cm tall. 

Its leaves are dark green, flat with distinct veins, rough on the edges, and fine-tipped. The leaf blades, which measure 10-60cm long by 3-12mm wide, are sheathed, though the lower leaf sheaths are not fused. 

Tall fescue produces inflorescence in the form of long (10-50cm) branching panicles. Each panicle has about 10-30 spikes that contain several green florets with purple tinges. 

It is native to 

• Europe
• Asia 
• North Africa

Removal methods 

• Mechanical control: You can hand-pull or dig small patches of tall fescue before the plant flowers or produces seeds. When dealing with large infestations, you can also suppress the aggressive growth by tillage or burning. 
• Cultural control: You can control tall fescue with frequent mowing to heights of about 2-3 inches. Mulching, fertilizing lawns, overseeding, and keeping your lawn thick and healthy can also control or prevent infestation. 
• Chemical control: The invasive grass can be eradicated by herbicides such as Glyphosate, paraquat, and imazapic. 

4. Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) 

• Local Name: Stinging nettle; Common nettle; Burn nettle; Nettle leaf
• Family: Urticaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Stinging nettle is an herbaceous perennial plant that grows to 0.9-2 meters tall and has an underground rhizome system to form thick, dense colonies. Its stems are stout, erect, four-angled, and covered by stinging hairs. 

The leaves are light green, oppositely arranged, elliptical to lanceolate, and measuring about 7-15cm long by 1.27-4cm wide. The leaf blades have toothed edges, prominently sunken veins, and are covered by hairs, giving them a velvety appearance. 

Stinging nettle produces tiny green to brown flowers in clusters at the tip of the stems. The plant bears male and female flowers, with the female flowers emerging on top of the male ones. 

It is native to:

• Europe
• Temperate Asia
• Western North Africa 

Removal methods

• Mechanical control: You can hand-pull or dig out (with gardening tools) young plants before they start flowering. Mowing and cutting the stems close to the ground can also reduce growth, overwhelm the plant, and eventually kill it. 
• Chemical control: Stinging nettle can be eradicated using herbicides such as Glyphosate, isoxaben, oxyfluorfen, and oxadiazon. 

NOTE: When hand-pulling stinging nettle, wear hand gloves and other protective clothing to protect yourself from the stinging hairs. Also, you must remove the entire rhizome system from the ground, or the weeds will regrow. 

5. Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) 

• Local Name: Oxeye daisy; Common daisy; Marguerite 
• Family: Asteraceae 
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

The oxeye daisy is a perennial flowering plant that grows to 81cm tall and has a creeping underground rhizome system. Its stems are hairy (mostly on the lower parts), slightly grooved, and slightly branched. 

The leaves are alternately arranged, spatula to oblong-shaped, with teethed or lobed margins. The plant has large, basal rosette leaves (4-15cm long by 4cm wide) with long petioles, while the upper leaves lack petioles and are smaller (up to 7.5cm long). 

L. vulgare bears conspicuous flowers that look like daisies. Each flower head is about 2-6cm wide, has a yellow disc at the center, and several white ray florets. 

It is native to Europe and temperate regions of Asia. However, it is widely distributed in New Zealand, Australia, And North America, among other regions. 

Removal methods

• Mechanical control: It can be controlled by hand-pulling or digging up young plants before seeding. Repeated mowing may help to prevent seeding and reduce aggressive growth. 
• Cultural control: Grazing by livestock (sheep) can help reduce the population of oxeye daisy plants, but it will not eradicate it. 
• Chemical control: It can be eradicated using herbicides, such as Glyphosate, 2,4-D, picloram, aminopyralid, clopyralid, Metsulfuron, and dicamba. Repeated applications might be necessary for total eradication. 

6. Creeping Bentgrass (Agrostis palustris)

• Local Name: Creeping bentgrass; carpet bentgrass; bentgrass
• Family: Poaceae 
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Creeping bentgrass is a cool-season, low-growing perennial grass that grows to about 40cm tall. It spreads aggressively through underground rhizomes and creeping stolons (up to 1 meter long), forming dense ground patches. 

Its leaves are bluish-green, 2-10cm long by 2-6mm wide, finely toothed at the margin, and with a pointed tip. The leaf blades are flat, have a prominent mid-rib on the undersurface, and are smooth with no hair.

From around midsummer, A. palustris bears spikelets of inflorescence that bloom in clusters at the tip of the stem. These spikelets are purplish but turn a tan, straw color when mature.  

It is native to: 

• Europe 
• Asia 
• North Africa (Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco)

Removal methods 

• Mechanical control: You can attempt hand-pulling for small patches, but this is impossible when dealing with many plants due to the creeping stolons that wrap around other grass or plants. 
• Cultural control: Grazing, mowing, cutting, and prescribed burning might suppress the spread of the grass, but these techniques will not eradicate it. 
• Chemical control: Agrostis stolonifera can be controlled with herbicides such as Glyphosate, fluazifop, clethodim, Sulfosulfuron, and Sethoxydim. 

7. Floating Pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides) 

• Local Name: Buttercup pennywort; Floating pennywort; Water pennywort
• Family: Apiaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Floating pennywort (buttercup pennywort or floating pennywort) is an aquatic perennial plant. It has stoloniferous stems that float on water, spread horizontally, and produce roots and shoots at the nodes. 

Its leaves are large (2-6cm in diameter), kidney-shaped, and attached to long petioles (5-35cm long). Each leaf blade has 3-7 rounded lobes with smooth to scalloped margins. 

Buttercup pennywort produces rounded clusters of tiny white, yellow, or greenish flowers. Each cluster has about 5-10 star-shaped flowers, with each head sporting five tiny petals and spreading stamens. 

Hydrocotyle ranunculoides are native to North and South America regions. However, it is widespread in other regions, such as Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia, where it is considered invasive. 

Removal methods 

• Mechanical control: Physical control is possible through weed-cutting buckets, boats, or hydro-raking. This can help reduce the biomass of the weeds, but it might not completely eradicate them, especially when dealing with a large infestation. 
• Chemical control: Chemical herbicides such as Glyphosate and diquat are the most effective method for eradicating buttercup pennywort. However, several applications may be needed to completely kill the weeds. 

8. Hoary Alyssum (Berteroa incana)

• Local Name: Hoary Alyssum 
• Family: Brassicaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Biennial (annual, sometimes perennial) 

Hoary Alyssum (false hoary, hoary alison, or hoary berteroa) is an herbaceous flowering plant growing 30-80cm tall. It produces single or multiple branching stems that emerge from the base of the plant, which are covered with dense hairs. 

The leaves are alternately arranged, 3.5-10cm long, smooth on the margin, and covered with dense hairs that give them a grayish-green appearance. When the plant is young, it produces basal rosette leaves, which wither away when it flowers. 

Hoary Alyssum bears a rounded cluster of tiny flowers at the tip of the stems and the top of the plant. Each flower has four small, deeply notched white petals and six yellowish-green stamens. 

It is native to Central Europe and Asia but has been widely distributed to other parts of Europe and North America. 

Removal methods 

• Mechanical control: Small patches of young plants can be controlled by hand-pulling, digging, and hoeing. Repeated cutting can also prevent seeding and contain the spread of Berteroa incana. 
• Cultural control: Practices such as fertilization, overseeding, mulching, and planting ground cover crops can help control the spread of weeds. 
• Chemical control: It can be controlled with herbicides such as Glyphosate (non-selective), 2,4-D, dicamba, and Metsulfuron methyl or a combination of 2,4-D + dicamba and Metsulfuron methyl + aminopyralid. 

9. Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula)

• Local Name: Leafy spurge 
• Family: Euphorbiaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Leafy spurge (green spurge) is an herbaceous perennial plant that forms colonies through spreading rhizomes and grows to 1-1.2m tall. It produces single or multiple stems that emerge from the base of the plant, which are erect, smooth, and branched. 

The leaves are small (4-8.5cm long by 1cm wide), alternately arranged and lanceolate. They are also stalkless, hairless, toothless (entire margin) with a pointed tip at the apex. 

The plant bears umbels of showy flowers that bloom in clusters at the top of the stem. Individual flower heads have green-yellow petals that look like bracts. 

It is native to: 

• Europe (including France, Spain, Italy, England, Germany, and Netherlands) 
• Asia (Korea, Siberia, and Himalayas)
• Alaska

Removal methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling, mowing, and tillage can help control Leafy spurge infestation, but these methods might not be enough to eradicate the weeds. 
• Cultural control: Sheep and goats can graze on the plant, greatly reducing its population density. 
• Natural control: Prescribed burning can help suppress the growth and spread of Leafy spurge. 
• Chemical control: The plant can be eradicated using herbicides such as Glyphosate, Glyphosate + 2,4-D, dicamba, fosamine, sulfometuron, quinclorac, imazapic, picloram + 2,4, -D, and dichlobenil.  

10. Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) 

• Local Name: Common buckthorn
• Family: Rhamnaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Common buckthorn is a perennial, woody shrub that grows up to 10 meters tall. Its leaves are dark green (but turn yellow in autumn), elliptical to ovate, and measuring 2.5-9cm long by 1.2-3.5cm wide. 

The leaves are arranged oppositely (sometimes alternately) and covered with sparse hairs on the underside. They also have a toothed margin, rounded or tapered at the base, and a small abrupt point at the apex. 

Common buckthorn bears small, yellowish-green flowers in clusters, with male and female flowers on different plants. It also produces fleshy green berries (which turn black when ripe), which are readily eaten by birds, which then disperse the seeds in droppings. 

It is native to: 

• Europe 
• Asia
• Northwest Africa 
• British Isles 

Removal methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling, digging out, repeated cutting, and frequent mowing can help control and eradicate young seedlings. Larger machinery, like a tractor, can dig out more mature plants. 
• Natural control: Prescribed burning with a flame weed torch can also kill young plants. 
• Chemical control: Rhamnus cathartica can be controlled using herbicides such as triclopyr, picloram, and Glyphosate. However, repeated applications and techniques, such as tree stump treatment, are needed for complete eradication. 

11. Common Mallow

• Local Name: Common mallow; Cheeses; Cheeseweed
• Family: Malvaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Common mallow (dwarf mallow, Cheeseweed, Cheeseplant, or roundleaf mallow) is an herbaceous plant that grows to 60cm tall. Its leaves are dark green, alternately arranged, kidney to heart-shaped, and with long petioles (up to 12cm). 

The leaves have toothed margins and rounded to pointed tips. Each leaf blade has 5-9 shallow lobes and can reach up to 2.5cm long by 3cm wide. 

Common mallow produces single-stalked flowers that bloom in clusters of 2-5 from the leaf axils. Each flower head has five white to pinkish petals, a column of white stamens, and pink styles at the center. 

It is native to: 

• Europe
• Asia 
• Africa (except sub-Saharan Africa)

Removal methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling and digging with gardening tools can control small patches of young seedlings. Regular mowing below 3 inches can prevent seeding and overwhelm large infestations. 
• Cultural control: Practices like mulching, shading, and planting competitive plants can contain the spread of common mallow and prevent new seedlings from germinating. 
• Chemical control:  Common mallow can be controlled with herbicides like dicamba, 2,4-D, triclopyr, or Glyphosate. 

12. Reed Canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) 

• Local Name: Reed canarygrass
• Family: Poaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Reed canarygrass is a tuft-forming perennial grass that grows to 2 meters tall. Its smooth, erect-growing, green, bamboo-like stems branch occasionally at the nodes. 

Its leaves are blue-green, alternately arranged, pointed at the tip, and measuring 10-30cm long by 0.5-2cm wide. The leaf blades are flat, hairless, and have an entire margin, but they have a rough texture on the surfaces and along the edge. 

Reed canarygrass produces flowers in clusters at the end of the stems. The blooms can reach up to 30cm long and are green to purplish (but turn to a tan, straw color as the seeds mature). 

It is native to: 

• Europe
• Asia
• North America 

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling and digging out (everything, including the rhizomes) can help control small patches of reed canarygrass. 
• Natural control: Burning can suppress the reed canarygrass population and even kill some of the seeds in the soil. However, it could also have the opposite effect of stimulating the rhizomes to produce new germinations. 
• Cultural control: Mulching, frequent mowing, and grazing can help control the grass population. 
• Chemical control: Reed canarygrass can be controlled using herbicides such as Sethoxydim, imazapyr, and Glyphosate. 

13. Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) 

• Local Name: Wild parsnip
• Family: Apiaceae 
• Annual or Perennial: Biennial/ Short-lived perennial 

Wild parsnip, a root vegetable similar to carrots, is common in Minnesota yards. The plant produces compound, mid-green rosette leaves with 5-15 oblong-elliptic, hairless, and coarsely toothed leaflets in its first growing season. 

During the second season, hollow and grooved branching stems develop from the rosette, and new alternate leaves emerge alternately. The plant also produces greenish-yellow flowers in clustered umbels at the tip of the stem. 

Wild parsnips have a long, thick, fleshy, cream-colored tap root (like a carrot) that is edible. Its flavor is sweet and earthy. However, if the plant is left in the ground for too long, the taproot becomes woody and bitter. 

Pastinaca sativa is native to Europe and Asia. However, it is widely naturalized in several regions worldwide, including North America, where it is mostly considered invasive. 

Removal methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling and cutting the rosette leaves to the soil surface is an effective solution in the first season. For the second season repeated cutting and frequent mowing can help contain the spread of the plant in the second season. 
• Cultural control: You can keep wild parsnips at bay by planting competitive beneficial crops or groundcover plants. Other cultural control techniques include mulching and repeated mowing (before flowering). 
• Chemical control: The plant can be controlled with herbicides such as aminopyralid, dicamba, diflufenzopyr, 2,4-D, Picloram, or Triclopyr. You can also spot-treat individual plants with Glyphosate. 

14. Creeping Yellowcress (Convolvulus arvensis)  

• Local Name: Field bindweed
• Family: Convolvulaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Creeping yellowcress (Field bindweed) is a creeping (or climbing) herbaceous plant with stems that reach 0.5-2 meters long. Its leaves are alternately arranged, arrowhead-shaped (sometimes triangular or oblong), and about 2-5cm long. 

The leaf blades have untoothed margins, rounded to pointed tips, and a square to heart-shaped base. The plant produces showy, white to pale pink funnel-shaped flowers with five fused petals that open in the morning and close in the afternoon.  

Although common in Minnesota, it is not native to the USA.

Creeping yellowcress is native to:

• Europe 
• Asia 

Removal methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling and digging with gardening tools is an excellent solution for young seedlings. Repeated cultivation and tillage (young plants) can reduce the plant’s population and eventually deplete seeds in the soil.  
• Cultural control: Practices such as mulching, shading, planting of competitive plants, suffocation with plastic cover, and withholding water can help control infestations. 
• Chemical control: Spraying chemical herbicides is the most effective way to control field bindweed. Top herbicides include 2,4-D, dicamba, trifluralin, pendimethalin, oryzalin, and Glyphosate. 

NOTE: Once the plant has established rhizome root systems, cultivation and tillage become ineffective as it can cut up the rhizomes and spread them, causing increased encroachment.  

15. Wild Cucumber

• Local Name: Wild cucumber; Bur cucumber; Prickly cucumber
• Family: Cucurbitaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Wild cucumber is another common weed in Minnesota that grows in the wild and most often along roadsides. It is an annual vine with creeping stems that reach up to 8m long. The stems trail on the ground or climb over plants and other structures by coiling around them with tendrils. 

Its leaves are alternate with five triangular lobes and can be as large as 5-15cm long. The leaf blades have slightly toothed margins and are attached to the stems with a long petiole. 

Wild cucumbers have fragrant white to yellowish flowers, with male and female flowers on the same plant. They also bear pod-like fruit covered with spikes, giving them the appearance of spiny watermelons. 

Echinocystis lobata is native to North America, including Canada and most U.S. states. It is also widely distributed in other regions worldwide, including Europe and Asia. 

Removal methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling or digging out the plant with gardening tools when dealing with young seedlings. For more mature plants, repeated cutting to ground level can suppress the aggressive growth of the species. 
• Chemical control: Wild cucumber can be controlled using herbicides such as atrazine, glyphosate glufosinate, isoxaflutole, metribuzin, chlorimuron, parquet, and others. 

Sylvia Kiragu

Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.

insightweeds.com/

The post 15 Common Weeds in Minnesota With Control Methods appeared first on InsightWeeds.

They have been used for years as herbal medicine and in various dishes, although they are sometimes considered weeds in the Western world. 

They may appear the same because they have similar-looking big leaves, but they are very different. Looking closer at their appearance, they also tend to be different.

Therefore, what is the difference between rhubarb and burdock?

1. Appearance

The burdock plant can grow up to 5 feet tall at maturity, while rhubarb is harvested when its stalks are 12 to 18 inches long. 

To identify a rhubarb, you would have to look closely at its leaves; the leaves of a rhubarb are larger, curly, and smooth compared to those of a Burdock with hairy undersides. 

The leaf stems of a rhubarb are red, while the burdock’s is maroon. The leaf stems of a burdock are hollow compared to that of a rhubarb; in addition, the stems of a burdock are rough, while those of a rhubarb are smooth in texture.

2. Uses

Their roots have been used for years for herbal medicine, especially as a diaphoretic and diuretic.

Burdock plant has mainly been used for skin ailments, while rhubarb has been widely used for digestion and the reduction of inflammation. 

According to Science Direct, rhubarb has been used as a laxative over the years because it empties the intestines and cleanses the bowels thoroughly.

3. Edibility

Both burdock and wild rhubarb are edible and can be used as ingredients in various dishes.

However, burdock is considered safer to eat because the rhubarb leaves are toxic as they contain high levels of oxalic acid, which is considered poisonous. 

The difference between rhubarb and burdock in taste is that burdock has a bit of a bitter vegetable taste or, like carrots, depending on the time of its life cycle that it is harvested. The rhubarb has a rich tart flavor to it. 

Rhubarb is very nutritious, and though it is technically a vegetable, it is often treated as a fruit.

Rhubarb can be used to make various desserts, jams, ice cream sauces, pies, and stews, while burdock can be used to make pie, tea, salads, and pickles and can be cooked, baked, steamed, or boiled. 

4. Planting

It would be best to plant rhubarb in areas below four degrees Celsius in the winter and below twenty-four degrees Celsius in the summer. 

You should also grow it in well-drained soil mixed with plenty of compost, under the sun, with some partial shade. Because it grows big and wide, ensure it has enough space in an open place. 

On the other hand, burdock is a winter crop that may prefer cold or warm temperate regions; you should plant it in spring. It should be grown in moist but well-drained soils to avoid getting the soil wet and regularly watered. 

5. Growth

In terms of growth, what is the difference between rhubarb and burdock?

Rhubarb can grow for almost ten years or more with nearly no pests disturbing it. It is easy to grow but may need a dormancy period to thrive.

Once established, it requires little to no maintenance. Maybe the occasional removal of flower stems and leaves that have faded. You should also divide the clumps when they become overcrowded.

Water rhubarb regularly until it is well rooted. However, note that this plant can propagate rapidly and become hard to remove.

Burdock is biennial, meaning it has a two-year life cycle. It can be grown from seeds in spring and autumn, which are cool and warm climates.

Snails and slugs attack burdock leaves and stems, and nematodes attack their roots, which can cause wilting.

6. Harvesting

Note that burdock has different nutritional values during various stages of its life cycle. It is most nutritious in its first year. 

In the second year and last stage, its energy is focused on reproducing flowers and seeds; therefore, its root has no nutrients left. In fact, it is hard, fibrous, and inedible. 

The burdock roots are harvested when they are large enough to eat. Use a garden fork to lift them from the soil, as pulling by the leaves is likely to break the roots. If burdock takes over your garden, use these techniques to eliminate it.

On the other hand, rhubarb regrows after harvesting, and its stalks are twisted and pulled rather than cut with a knife, which can cause the cut piece to wither.

Sylvia Kiragu

Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.

insightweeds.com/

The post What Is The Difference Between Rhubarb and Burdock? appeared first on InsightWeeds.

Not only do these weeds stick on clothes, but they also attach themselves to farm tools or pet animals in order to spread wide and far. Interestingly, most people are unaware of carrying these weeds, sometimes referred to as hitchhiker weeds.

Below is a list of the most common hitchhiker weeds and how to identify them.

1. Sandbur weed

Sandbur is one of those troublesome weeds found in pasturelands and patch lawns. The grassy weed thrives in dry soil and blends well with turfgrass.

Sandbur weed contains flat blade leaves, which can spread on your lawn, to form a carpet-like structure. These flat blades have hairy ligules with burrs on their ends which carry the seeds.

This grass with spiky seed pods will stick to not only your clothes but also your skin as well. Unfortunately, it is also the kind of weeds that stick to dogs due to their furs.

To control the weed infestation, you can mow them or pull it off with your hands. Also, during the fall season, you can fertilize your lawn to form a thick mat of grass that would choke the weed plants.

Additionally, using pre-emergent herbicides helps to prevent sandbur seeds from germinating.

2. Houndstongue

Houndstongue is a biennial toxic plant that originated in Europe and has spread across the USA.

It has a rough texture, and its flowers come out of long coiled stalks.

Houndstongue is known for poisoning both livestock and wild animals that consume it. So, it would be wise not to have it in your garden for safety purposes.

It generates many burr-like seeds that stick to clothes and animal fur.

This invasive weed is found in most parts of the USA, and you can easily identify it once you understand its cycle. It resembles rosettes but has oblong leaves during the first year. It then grows up to four feet during the second year, when it produces flowers.

Houndstoungue red flowers produce three to four seeds contained in sticky seed pods. These sticky seed pods hook onto dogs, animal fur, and people’s clothing, spreading wide.

3. Hedge parsley

Hedge Parsley is a Southern Europe native weed that has spread to various parts of the USA. It is highly invasive and can survive in multiple growing conditions.

Torilis Arvensis is aggressive in growth and produces burr-like seeds that stick to animal fur and people’s clothes.

You are likely to find this weed growing on forests’ edges, roadsides, and gardens.

Torilis Arvensis flowers are white, tiny, and clumped together, with thin, rounded stems and fern-like leaves. Small white hairs also cover the stem and leaves.

Eliminate the weed by pulling with your hands or using a commercial herbicide. You can also mow early to suppress the seeds before they develop.

Alternatively, you can allow your livestock to feed on the weed before they flower because they are not toxic.

4. Palmer’s grappling hook

Palmer’s grappling hook is a wildly growing native weed that thrives on sand slopes, mostly in California desert regions, Baja-Mexico, Sonora, and Arizona. It is tiny, making it hard to notice.

However, this weed’s haired seed pods will stick to your socks, and that’s how they are spread.

Palmer’s grappling hook leaves, and stems are erect and herbaceous but can spread sometimes. Their stems and leaves are also covered with hooked white hair.

The leaves of Palmer’s grappling hook are lance-shaped, having rolling edges. This weed’s fruits are hairy green and emerge from small white flowers.

5. Beggarticks weeds

Beggarticks weed, also referred to as black-jack, farmer’s friend, or Spanish needle, is one of the common sticky weeds. It belongs to the aster family and is found across the USA, especially in disturbed places.

Beggarticks is annoying, and if left unattended in your garden, they can wreak havoc. The weed snowballs, suffocating the native plants.

The weed is noticeable due to its dull-green leaves with sharp edges. In addition, it has bright yellow flowers that look like daisies.

The weed’s stem is slim and leafy and can grow up to 1.8 meters high. Beggarticks’ fish-like sticky seeds will hook onto anything, including your clothes or the dog’s fur.

You can get rid of beggarticks by frequently mowing your garden. You can also uproot them when the soil is moist or even use designated herbicides.

6. Krameria weed

This perennial purple-flowered shrub is mostly found in Southeastern California and the Colorado desert. Krameria weed is drought resistant and only grows to a height of 0.9 meters. It has grey and ovate leaves which blend with the stem.

Krameria fruits contain radiating spines with several barbs and look like a small harpoon.

They have been cited for resembling the Uncarina of Madagascar. The barbs spread across the high section of each spine. They are the ones that easily stick on people’s clothes and are spread far.

7. Enchanter’s nightshade

Enchanter’s nightshade comes from the Willowherb family. It is a common garden weed but can also be found in woodlands, hedgerows, and the bottom of old walls.

Its oval leaves grow opposite each other. Enchanter’s nightshade has pink-white flowers that are loosely clustered and are mostly seen between June and August.

The plant is known because of its consistent climbing habit, and most gardeners consider it a weed.

However, Enchanter’s nightshade contains fruits covered with bristles containing hooks at the end. This enables them to attach to people’s clothes and animals for easy dispersal.

8. Catchweed bedstraw

Catchweed bedstraw is an annual plant native to Eurasia and North America. It has narrow, linear, whorled leaves and a shallow taproot that branches outwards. The stems are square in cross-section, mostly not branched, and weak.

This makes them unable to support themselves; hence they climb over other upright plants. Catchweed on their lay low and sprawling, creating thick, tangled mats.

Their leaves and stems are covered with hair-like bristles responsible for their tangled nature and sticky characteristics.

Catchweed flowers on the upper leaves range from pale green to white. Their fruits are covered with hairs that are hooked and appear like little brown things that stick to your clothes, facilitating their dispersal.

Catchweed can be found in waste sites, roadsides, disturbed areas, and shady, moist places.

9. Beggar’s lice

Beggar’s lice which is native to USA and Canada, is also referred to as the Virginia stickseed or sticktight weed.

It has irregular-shaped rough-textured leaves with green stems. Its tiny white flowers occur in mid-summer. During the first year of its growth, beggar’s lice only have the base spiral of foliage.

The flowering stalk starts ascending in the second year. Beggar’s lice name is derived from the characteristics of this plant’s seeds, which are burrs and highly sticky.

These burrs are super small and difficult to remove once they attach to your clothes or animal fur.

The entire stem or plant will likely be uprooted from the ground when the seed pod attaches to a cloth or fur. It is, therefore, a very effective technique for this plant to disperse its seeds.

10. Common burdock

Common burdock is also known as lesser burdock, little burdock, or button-bur.

It is another weed known for attaching itself to people’s clothes and spreading to long distances. Common burdock is mostly found in degraded places and pastures across the US.

It has large dark green leaves that are oval to triangular. The top leaf area is hairy, while the bottom area is woolly and pale green.

The common burdock flowers are tiny and many and come in various colors, such as lavender, white, pink, and purple.

Common burdock weeds are difficult to get rid of, as well as toxic. Some people will experience an allergic reaction if they contact them. They can also lead to eye infections and skin diseases in livestock.

Uprooting the plant from the soil when wet or mowing before bloom time is a good method to eradicate them. To control this weed, you can also use recommended herbicides such as glyphosate 2,4-d and Picloram.

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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 10 weeds that stick to your clothes appeared first on InsightWeeds.

Burdock weeds are invasive. They can grow and spread quickly in your lawn or garden and overrun it.

As a homeowner, you have to figure out how to permanently get rid of burdock from your land. If you allow it to flower, it will set seed and pose challenges in eradicating it.

You can get rid of burdock weeds in different ways. For example, you can mow taller plants, use a selective herbicide, dig it up, use vinegar, or use a weeding tool. Other methods you can use include covering the plant with plastic to discourage its growth.

When is the best time to spray burdock weeds?

The best time to control the burdock is in the fall. It is a time when young plants store enough food reserves in the roots for use during the next growth cycle.

When spring comes, the plant takes the food from its roots to produce leaves. Once it has the nutrients it needs, it starts growing tall stalks and blooms.

What are the different ways of eradicating burdock weeds?

You can get rid of burdock weeds using the following methods:

1. Herbicide control

The quickest way of controlling burdock plants in your yard, especially those in their first year of growth, is by using herbicides.

The best herbicides to use in the treatment of burdock infestation are 2,4-D, MCPA, 2,4-DB, and dicamba. You can also use glyphosate-based herbicides to eliminate weeds.

Here is what to do:

• Read the herbicide labels and follow the guidelines laid out by the manufacturer before spraying.
• Spray the chemical in the right weather conditions.
• Avoid spraying it during rain or wind conditions. The herbicide will drift into nearby flower beds or other areas and harm desirable plants.
• Use a foam applicator to target burdock plants only.

You can use either a selective or non-selective herbicide. However, ensure you do not spray the chemical on good weeds.

2. Use salt

You can use salt to kill burdock weeds on your lawn or garden. When plants absorb excessive amounts of salt through the root systems, it disrupts the water balance. That causes the weed to wilt and die eventually.

When using salt to control burdock:

• Use a ratio of three parts salt to one part water.
• Dilute the salt to dissolve it in the water.
• Pour the solution directly on the burdock weeds.

You can increase the ratio to make the treatment more effective since too much sodium damages the root structure of many plants. If you don’t have normal salt, consider rock salt or Epsom salt.

3. Use vinegar

You can kill burdock with vinegar and remove the plant from your lawn. Vinegar contains acetic acid.

When sprayed on weeds, the acid draws moisture from the plant and causes it to wilt and die. The best way of making vinegar effective is to mix it with liquid dish soap.

Dish soap will stick on the plant, which will ensure it absorbs much of the vinegar.

• Use one gallon of white vinegar and one tablespoon of liquid dish soap.
• Mix the two liquids in a spray bottle.
• Spray the solution on the weeds.

The best time of using the treatment is during the sunniest time of the day.

Note: Vinegar is non-selective. It will kill burdock weeds and any other surrounding plants.

4. Burn the weeds

You can also consider burning burdock as a way of controlling the weed. Fire causes the moisture within the weed to evaporate immediately.

Flames destroy plant tissues which eventually causes the weed to die. However, fire only kills the above-ground portion of the weeds and not the roots.

Since the common burdock is a perennial weed, it will re-grow if you leave the roots in the soil.

You can burn the common burdock by subjecting the whole area to fire. Alternatively, you can use a weed torch to burn the weeds.

An advantage of using flames to eliminate weeds is the method is instant. Just make sure to use a good weed removal tool afterwards to get rid of the root system.

The best weed torches to consider are:

• Flame King YSNPQ810CGA
• Red Dragon VT 2-23 SVC
• Bernzomatic 19425 JT850

The torches will help you crank up the heat on even the toughest weeds.

5. Pulling

Pulling is an effective way of removing weeds from your lawn permanently. By pulling, you’ll remove the plants from the roots, which helps to prevent them from re-growing.

The best time to pull the common burdock is before the plant seeds or during its first year of growth.

• Start by grabbing the plant at the base.
• Avoid snatching a handful of weeds and giving them a sharp tug. Most of the time, they will snap in two and leave the bottom half and the roots still in the ground.
• Instead, grab each weed individually and then pull slowly and steadily to ease the roots from the soil.

You may have to bend over or kneel to pull out the weeds.

If you do not want to do it by hand, you can use hand tools like:

• Radius Garden 102 Hand Weeder.
• CobraHead Original Weeder & Cultivator Garden Tool.
• Flexrake CLA105 Flower & Vegetable Tiller.

If you do not prefer bending or kneeling to remove weeds, you can use stand-up weeding tools like:

• Fiskars 39″ 4-Claw
• Garden Weasel Garden Claw Pro.
• Flexrake 1000L Hula-Ho Weeder Cultivator.

The tools are ideal for cutting and digging out weeds. They will get rid of burdock weeds from the roots. That will ensure the plant does not re-grow on your lawn.

Conclusion

You can get rid of burdock weeds in different ways. One way is to burn them using a weed torch. Alternatively, you can use a natural method like wilting them using salt or vinegar.

If you prefer chemical treatment, use herbicides like 2,4-D, MCPA, 2,4-DB, or dicamba. Another option is to pull the weeds by hand, which will ensure you remove the roots altogether.

But pulling the weeds by hand can be time-consuming. Use weeding tools to dig out the plants.

More weed removal guides

• How to kill wild violet
• How to remove grass to start a garden
• Effective ways of destroying pampas grass
• When to apply crabgrass preventer for the best results

Carter

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

The post How to get rid of burdock weeds in 5 easy ways appeared first on InsightWeeds.

Some of them have ‘rhubarb’ in their English names, making the distinction even harder. Due to the similarities, it is easy to confuse the weeds with rhubarb in your garden.

While some rhubarb-related plants are harmless, most are poisonous. However, you can easily identify them if you take a look at specific features as mentioned here.

The five weeds that look like rhubarb include:

1. Burdock weed (Arctium asteraceae)

Burdock weed is commonly known as the “wild rhubarb.” The choice of name is because it has large leaves, making it identical to the edible plant.

It also has a red stem-like rhubarb. The two factors make the weed one of the most identical plants to the delicious vegetable.

However, burdock weed is not edible. If you mistakenly cook it or put it in culinary, you may experience a mild to severe reaction.

Although you may notice the stem is hollow when preparing it for food, it is easy to overlook such factors.

So, what is the difference between rhubarb and burdock? Unlike rhubarb, the weed does not produce red and white flowers. Instead of the flowers, burdock weed has prickly burrs on the top.

So, if you see a rhubarb-looking plant without flowers, it is probably a weed. Besides the flowers, burdock weeds do not have smooth leaves like rhubarb.

In most cases, the leaves have coats of fuzz, which make them irritating when touched. If you are prone to allergic reactions, don’t try to distinguish the two plants by touching the leaves. Instead, check if the plant has flowers or not.

If you notice the plant in question is burdock and not rhubarb, uproot it to avoid its widespread. If left unattended, the weed may spread, making your garden unsafe for food production. Here’s a detailed guide for eradicating the burdock weed.

2. Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris)

Swiss chard is a large leaf plant that looks like rhubarb. Like the rhubarb, this plant is edible.

However, you should note that it may affect the taste of the food. Unlike rhubarb, which has a sour taste, the vegetable is less bitter, especially when cooked.

While it has almost similar leaf features, it is easy to spot Swiss chard in your garden. In humid areas, the plant has a fuzzy appearance, which is different from rhubarb plants.

Also, the stem is white (and yellow in some varieties) compared to the usual green and red. However, the two plants grow to an almost similar height.

Since Swiss chard is not harmful when eaten, you can leave it to grow with other plants. However, like other weeds, it will be competing for nutrients with your rhubarb plants.

Why did Swiss chard grow in your garden as a weed? Although it is uncommon, the vegetable may grow like a weed if the neighboring gardens have previously planted (or currently have) it.

3. Brazilian rhubarb (Gunnera manicata)

Brazilian rhubarb is a flowering plant that looks like rhubarb. Thanks to its huge leaves, the plant is often referred to as giant rhubarb.

However, unlike the edible plants in your garden, the weed is extremely toxic.

Besides the enormous leaves and fast growth, the Brazilian rhubarb is easy to spot. For example, the weed has rusty red leaves, which are different from rhubarb. Also, the stalk is tall and green.

The reason why you are more likely to see Gunnera manicata in your garden is its impressively adaptive nature. The weed grows in all types of soils and textures.

Also, due to its alternative uses, people have started growing it as a commercial plant.

Is Gunnera Manicata invasive? Unlike most weeds, it is not invasive. However, it may compete for nutrients with other plants, affecting their growth.

Also, if mistakenly harvested and eaten, the weed may be poisonous. Luckily, it is easy to spot it in your garden.

4. Pokeweed (Phytolacca decandra)

Pokeweed is a poisonous and smelly plant that may grow in your garden. Although it is mildly invasive, it competes with rhubarb for nutrients and water.

Also, due to its poisonous leaves and stem, it is advisable to uproot pokeweed once you spot it. Besides being poisonous, it is the only ornamental plant that resembles rhubarb.

Its beautiful fruits make it easier to spot them in a garden. When the weed is smaller, you should spot it through leaves. They are narrow and have a faded green compared to rhubarb.

Even though the leaves are not as smooth as rhubarb’s, it is advisable not to touch them when examining the weed. The leaves have a chemical composition, which may affect your body negatively. For safety purposes, check if the plant has narrow leaves.

If you spot Pokeweed, how do you eliminate it? Although herbicides are the most effective way to eradicate the weed, a mixture of water and vinegar works fine, especially if your garden is organic.

You just have to mix 50/50 water and vinegar and spray on Pokeweed to eliminate it.

5. Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)

Skunk cabbage looks like a huge rhubarb, especially due to its spade-shaped leaves. However, unlike rhubarb, the skunk cabbage only grows in marshy areas, mainly in the wild.

Even though the weed grows mainly in unattended land, you may notice it on the edges of your garden. It has a skunky smell, which is different from the sweet and fruity rhubarb smell.

Also, the weed’s stem does not have any color, unlike rhubarb, which has either red or green stems.

Thanks to the distinctive smell, it is easy to identify the weed cabbage when harvesting or tendering your garden. Uproot it because it can be invasive in your garden.

The above five weeds look like rhubarb. However, some are poisonous. If accidentally consumed together with the edible vegetable can lead to serious health complications.

Related Guides

• Types of weeds with large leaves
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Carter

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

The post 5 weeds that look like rhubarb (pictures & scientific names) 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.

The post 20 weeds with huge leaves you may find in your garden appeared first on InsightWeeds.