Fortunately, with quick identification and the right removal methods, you can get ahead of the invaders and reclaim your lawn.

In this post, you’ll find a list of common low creeping lawn and the most effective strategies to remove them.

1. White Clover (Trifolium repens)

• Local Name: White Clover
• Family: Fabaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

White clover is a low growing herbaceous perennial plant that is native to Europe and Asia. You would first notice its egg-shaped, trifoliate leaves with light or dark markings before the white to pink flowers appear.

The growth of white clover in your lawn can indicate a poor nitrogen-nutrient profile. To eliminate the weed, improve lawn health through proper mowing (above 3 inches and apply nitrogen-rich fertilizer. 

You can pull out the young plants when the ground is moist or spot treat with a selective postemergent broadleaf herbicide like dicamba, 2,4-D, MCPP, and triclopyr.

2. Spotted Spurge (Euphorbia maculata)

• Local Name: Spotted Spurge or Prostrate Spurge
• Family: Euphorbiaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Spotted spurge is an annual low growing weed native to North America. The common lawn weed spreads about 45-60 cm along the ground. 

You can identify the weed by its slender, reddish stems and small, dark green, round to oblong leaves with reddish-purple spots in the middle. Spotted Spurge typically grows in thin lawns. 

The best way to remove small patches is through pulling or hoeing before they produce seed. Alternatively, spot treatments of selective herbicides like MCPP, 2,4-D, and dicamba can help eliminate less mature plants. 

The tip here is to deal with the weed early to avoid resorting to non-selective ingredients like glyphosate that will harm your grass. 

Ensure that you maintain a healthy turf through proper watering, mowing, and fertilization after removing the weeds to prevent regrowth.

3. Crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum and Digitaria sanguinalis)

• Local Names: Smooth Crabgrass and Large Crabgrass
• Family: Poaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual

Both crabgrass species are pesky annual weeds that can sneak into your lawn. What makes them tricky to identify is that they grow slowly at first and easily blend in with the rest of the grass during spring. 

It’s probably in summer that you’ll notice a different light-green shade of grass that stands out against your darker-green turf. Fortunately, there are a few effective removal methods you can deploy.

Hand pulling or hand-held tools are viable options for a few stands of grass. Ensure that you reseed the gaps to prevent the growth of other weeds. 

Postemergence herbicides containing quinclorac, mestorione, and fenoxaprop provide effective control against both grasses. Ensure that you apply the product appropriate for the growth stage for the best results.

If you’re concerned that crabgrass may appear the next spring, apply a crabgrass preventer or Tenacity for newly seeded turf or dithiopyr, prodiamine, and dithiopyr for established turf.

4. Creeping Charlie (Hederacea glechoma)

• Local Name: Creeping Charlie, Creeping Jenny, Gill Over the Ground, or Ground Ivy
• Family: Lamiaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial

Creeping Charlie is a perennial weed efficient at forming dense mats in lawns. The fast-spreading weed is easily identifiable by its round to kidney-shaped leaves that produce a minty odor when crushed and purple-blue flowers. 

You’ll notice this weed in shady, moist, or thin areas of the lawn. Hand-pulling or hoeing is only viable for extremely small infestations. Make sure that you remove the entire root system and runners to avoid regrowth. 

However, due to its seed, rhizome, and stolon spreading habit, it’s a very difficult weed to control without herbicides. Use products containing 2,4-D, dicamba, triclopyr, or sulfentrazone to get rid of Creeping Jenny in lawns. Keep in mind that even herbicide applications can take years to completely eradicate the weed. 

If the weed is progressively overtaking your lawn grass despite your best efforts, it’s best to kill all the vegetation and reseed your lawn. 

5. Chickweed (Stellaria media)

• Local Name: Chickweed or Common Chickweed
• Family: Caryophyllaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Common Chickweed is a winter annual broadleaf that you’ll probably find in shady and moist areas of your lawn. But don’t let the small, delicate plant with tear-drop-shaped leaves and  star-like flowers fool you. It can produce an average of 25,000 seeds per plant with a viability of over 10 years. 

It is also a host to plant viruses and pest insects. This can only mean bad news for your turf, especially if it’s nitrogen-rich, as it prefers highly fertile and neutral soils.

If you’re dealing with a small infestation, hand-pulling before seed set and when the soil is moist can help eliminate the weed. For bigger infestations, consider herbicides like dicamba and triclopyr. Ensure that you check the label for indications on specific turfgrasses. 

Once removed, maintain a healthy lawn and proper drainage to discourage seed germination.

6. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

• Local Name: Purslane or Common Purslane
• Family: Portulaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual

You probably appreciate Common Purslane’s diverse culinary benefits but not when it’s growing on your front lawn. The low growing weed prefers invading newly seeded turf, low-maintenance lawns, or areas in the lawn under full sun.

For easy identification, look for small, flat, rubbery leaves and reddish stems that branch out of a central root. If left unchecked, Purslane can form dense mats on your lawn and quickly produce thousands of seeds that remain viable up to 40 years. 

However, since the spreading branches come off a single root, it is easy to pull by hand. Ensure you remove the entire root system and dispose of it correctly to avoid rerooting. 

Postemergence herbicides you can consider include dicamba, 2,4-D, MCPP, and MSMA. Improving your lawn practices to achieve a healthy and competitive turf can get rid of this weed problem in the following seasons.

7. Carpetweed (Mollugo verticillata)

• Local Name: Green Carpetweed, Whorled Chickweed, Indian Carpetweed, or Devil’s Grip 
• Family: Molluginaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual

As its name suggests, this summer annual weed grows close to the ground, hardly exceeding 5 inches in height. Carpetweed thrives in disturbed areas and will therefore commonly invade newly planted turf.

From a central root, it grows a circular mat of dull green leaves with variable shapes that spread in all directions, quickly forming dense mats. 

Hand pulling or digging using a garden tool is a viable option in the initial stage of the infestation. 

For larger infestations, apply herbicides containing one or more of the active ingredients like 2,4-D, dicamba, MCPP, or triclopyr on actively growing foliage for effective control.

8. Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens)

• Local Name: Creeping Buttercup, Creeping Crowfoot, or Sitfast
• Family: Ranunculaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial

Picking Creeping Buttercup games are no longer fun when it’s creeping on your prized lawn. The stoloniferous weed is commonly found in thin turf, forming large patches through new plants that root at the nodes. 

To correctly identify the low growing weed, look for three lobed leaves or leaflets variable in shape, with deep sinuses and serrated margins. 

Improving lawn density through regular mowing, infrequent irrigation, and improved drainage can drastically reduce infestations. 

Postmergence herbicides like triclopyr, dicamba, MCPA, mesotrione, 2,4-D, and fluroxypyr can assist in removing the pesky weeds.

9. Virginia Buttonweed (Diodia virginiana)

• Local Name: Virginia Buttonweed or Buttonweed
• Family: Rubiaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Buttonweed is one of the most problematic low growing lawn weeds. The annual broadleaf produces deep roots and grows prostrate and spreading branches.

It is easily identifiable by its stiff, slightly thickened leaves, typically with a distinct mottled yellow appearance and occasionally hairy, longitudinally-ridged stems. 

Postemergence herbicides containing 2,4-D, dicamba, MCPP, and carfentrazone provide the best means of removing the persistent weed from your lawn for good.

10. Yellow Woodsorrel (Oxalis stricta)

• Local Name: Yellow Oxalis, Shamrock, Sheep’s Clover, or Sour Trefoil
• Family: Oxalidaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual or Short-lived Perennial

Unlike many early weed springers, the Yellow Woodsorrel prefers to fill up the gaps left by the weeds eliminated in the yard. The weed typically grows about 6 inches in height and you can identify it by its palmately compound, heart-shaped leaves. 

What makes Shamrock a tricky weed is that it can occur in poorly or highly maintained lawns, dry or moist soils, and in shady or sunny spots. 

Additionally, since they grow so close to the ground at first and can appear as individual plants or as patches, you’ll only notice them once the weeds start to flower. 

Hand pulling is easy for controlling young plants. Herbicides indicated for Yellow Oxalis include 2,4-D, dicamba, MCPP, triclopyr, and fluroxypyr.

11. Wild Violet (Viola papilionacea)

• Local Name: Purple Violet, Meadow Violet, Common Blue Violet, or Hooded Violet
• Family: Violaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Wild Violet is an aggressive low growing weed that prefers moist soils and shaded areas. The dense rhizome system allows the weed to spread quickly, forming large patches. 

You can identify it by its showy violet, blue, or white flowers and waxy, heart-shaped leaves. Wild Violet commonly invades turf that is adjacent to wooded areas. 

Removal methods include hand-pulling, with the extraction of the entire root system required. While it has shown resistance to common herbicides, repeated applications of combinations of two or more active ingredients, such as 2,4-D, dicamba, triclopyr, fluroxypyr, and flumioxazin, can help remove the weed.

12. Goosegrass (Eleusine indica)

• Local Name: Indian Goosegrass or Wiregrass
• Family: Poaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual

Goosegrass is a tropical grass that grows prostrate or slightly upright in lawns. It has flattened, branching stems that typically form a tough and clumpy growth, especially in high-traffic areas or thinning turf. 

The grass can be easily identified by its stem rosette formation with prominent  white or silver leaf sheaths at the base and dark-green folded leaf blades.

It is a problematic weed because of its prolific seed production and aggressive growth. If you’re dealing with a small infestation, hand-pulling may be effective. 

Herbicides indicated for Goosegrass control include MCPP, topramezone, fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, and dicamba. 

Sylvia Kiragu

Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.

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The post List of Low Creeping Lawn Weeds And Their Removal Methods appeared first on InsightWeeds.

Geographically, it stretches from the Rocky Mountains in the west to the prairies and boreal forests in the east, making it one of Canada’s most diverse regions in terms of landscape.

In terms of climate, this province experiences a continental climate, characterized by warm to hot summers and cold winters. These climatic factors encourage the growth of a wide range of garden weeds.

Additionally, as the sunniest province in Canada with fluctuating moisture levels, Alberta is an ideal environment for persistent and invasive weed species.

This article covers 20 common weeds you’ll find in your outdoor space along with their distinct physical attributes for easy identification. We’ll also recommend the best removal methods to help maintain a healthy, weed‑free garden. 

1. White Clover (Trifolium repens)

• Local Name: White Clover
• Family: Fabaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial

White clover is a perennial creeping plant that generally grows 10-15 cm tall. You can identify it by its three-parted leaflets and white clustered flowers that fade to pink with age. 

It is native to Europe and Asia, and since it was introduced in Canada, it can be found throughout Alberta in a variety of habitats, including residential gardens and lawns.

T. repens aggressively roots at stem nodes, forming large patches in areas around the garden where other plants will not grow.

There are several ways to eliminate white clover. You can manually remove the young plants, grow a vigorous lawn that outcompetes the weed through increased nitrogen fertilization, or increase mowing height, preferably over 3 inches.  

2. Black Medic (Medicago lupulina)

• Local Name: Hop Clover, Black Clover, or Yellow Trefoil
• Family: Fabaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual or Short-lived Perennial

Black Medic is a common broadleaf weed in the legume family. It is native to Europe and temperate Asia, but now can be found in many regions across Alberta. You can identify it by its trifoliate leaves and small yellow flowers. 

Like White Clover, Black Medic is a strong indicator of low nitrogen levels in your outdoor landscape. It is a prolific seed producer and grows a deep tap root, quickly becoming invasive. 

Hand-pulling is a viable option for small infestations. Correct compaction, aerate, seed, or fertilize your soil to prevent Black Medic growth.

3. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

• Local Name: Dandelion
• Family: Asteraceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Few weeds can scream spring in Alberta like dandelions. Their vigorous growth and bright yellow heads usher in warmer weather after long, cold winters. However, they can also take over gardens, and like other prolific seed-producing weeds, they stick out like a sore thumb. 

You can pull them out by hand and make sure to remove the entire taproot to prevent regrowth. Cutting the weeds before they seed using handy tools can also efficiently remove the weeds. 

4. Quackgrass (Elymus repens)

• Local Name: Quackgrass or Couch Grass
• Family: Poaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Quackgrass is one of the most troublesome weeds in Alberta. The perennial grass can be identified by its linear, light-green leaves and wheat-like spikelets. 

As an aggressive weed, it spreads by seeds and rhizomes and establishes deep roots, taking over gardens quickly. It not only competes with other desirable plants but also diminishes the aesthetic appeal of the outdoor spaces. 

Remove the clumps of grass by hand or through repeated cultivation. Ensure that you remove the rhizome fragments and dispose of them to prevent regrowth. 

5. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

• Local Name: Purslane
• Family: Portulacaceae 
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Purslane is a native of Northern Africa and Southern Europe, but has been widely naturalized in Alberta. It is a low-growing succulent weed with reddish stems and flat, rubbery leaves that form dense mats in gardens. 

While P. oleracea is adapted to growing in poor soils, you’ll mostly find it in poorly maintained gardens or newly established turf. 

Hand-pulling is generally sufficient to remove purslane weeds, as solitary plants tend to cover large areas. Ensure that all leaves and stems are disposed of correctly. 

6. Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense)

• Local Name: Canadian Thistle
• Family: Asteraceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial

Canada thistle is an aggressive colony-forming weed that grows up to 1.5 m tall. It is easily identified by its lance-shaped, dark green leaves with spiny margins and clusters of pink to purple flowers. 

This noxious weed spreads by seed and creeping roots, quickly overtaking desirable plants and turf in gardens. 

Pull or dig deeply to remove roots or mow before seed set to starve the weed of nutrients.

7. Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula)

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

A native of Europe and Asia, Leafy Spurge was introduced as an ornamental in Alberta and has since been classified as a noxious weed. 

It has clumpy stems, waxy, bluish-green leaves, and small yellowish-green flowers supported by bracts. It forms deep roots (up to 9m) and spreads 4-5m laterally. 

For these reasons, eradicating leafy spurge requires patience (as complete eradication may take time) and a multifaceted approach. Consider hand pulling or mowing for small, young plants and continuous, intensive cultivation for larger plants until complete eradication is achieved.

8. Common Mallow (Malva neglecta)

• Local Name: Garden Mallow
• Family: Malvaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Common Mallow is a herbaceous perennial, erect or prostrate, about 90 cm tall. It has branched and hairy stems, long-stalked, green to purple leaves, and five-petaled white to pinkish flowers. 

While it may provide beautiful blooms for the garden, it can also spread if left unchecked. Digging out the seedlings before they develop woody taproots is the best option. This is achievable before the plant develops four leaves.

9. Creeping Bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides)

• Local Name: Creeping Bellflower
• Family: Campanulaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

A common summer garden weed in Alberta, Creeping Bellflower can steal the heart with its bright, bell-shaped, purple flowers. However, it’s an aggressive and invasive plant that tends to take over the entire garden, making it a weed to watch. 

To effectively remove it, use your hands or a small garden shovel and ensure you dig out the entire root system to avoid regrowth.

10. Common Chickweed (Stellaria media)

• Local Name: Chickweed, Nodding Chickweed
• Family: Caryophyllaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual or Short-lived Perennial

While it may be native to Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa, chickweed has since been introduced in Canada and can now be found throughout Alberta.

You can identify the winter weed by its egg-shaped to elliptic leaves, small, white, star-shaped flowers, and delicate, prostrate stems that form mats on the ground. 

Remove the weed by hand-pulling or using a digging tool when the ground is moist, as it has shallow roots, and ensure all seeds and stems are well disposed of to prevent regrowth. Mulching the affected area may also control the weed growth.

11. Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus)

• Local Name: Yellow Nutgrass, Chufa Sedge, Tigernut, Grass Nutsedge, or Earth Almond
• Family: Cyperaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Yellow Nutsedge is a native weed that you’ll probably find in poorly drained areas in your vegetable or flower garden. The grass-like sedge has yellow-greenish leaf blades and yellow or purple flower heads. 

To get rid of the sedge, repeatedly remove the small plants before they develop tubers. Eliminate the wet conditions in your garden by applying a fabric mulch.

12. Tall Buttercup (Ranunculus acris)

• Local Name: Meadow Buttercup, Field Buttercup, or Giant Buttercup
• Family: Ranunculaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial

Tall Buttercup is a perennial plant that grows up to 1 meter tall. The weed has branched stems, deeply lobed leaves, and bright yellow flowers. 

It is typically found in meadows and pastures but can also grow in gardens, displacing desirable plants through its efficient seed and rhizome propagation. 

Hand-pulling and digging are viable control strategies for small infestations. Mowing and eliminating wet conditions around the garden can also reduce infestations.

13. Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua)

• Local Name: Annual Bluegrass
• Family: Poaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual

As the name implies, Bluegrass is an annual grass that is a common and persistent weed in gardens. It is a short-growing grass that competes for resources and also forms dense clumps, overtaking other garden plants. 

Pull or dig out the small grass infestations before seed production. Repeat as many times as possible to achieve complete eradication. 

14. Common Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)

• Local Name: Garden Tansy or Golden Buttons
• Family: Asteraceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Garden Tansy is an Eurasian native that grows 30-150 cm tall. It is easily identified by its clustered stems, alternate fern-like leaves, and golden-yellow button flowers. 

The aromatic perennial spreads by seeds and short underground rhizomes, competing for resources and forming dense patches that can reduce aesthetic appeal. 

The best removal methods are hand-pulling and mowing before seed set.

15. Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

• Local Name: Purple Loosestrife
• Family: Lythraceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Purple Loosestrife was once a beloved garden staple for its stunning pink to purple flowers. However, due to its highly invasive nature, it has since been classified as a noxious weed in Alberta and other provinces in Canada. 

It forms numerous brushlike stands that compete for resources and can outcompete other vegetation. Look out for wet areas around your garden because once it establishes, it can cause waterlogging by blocking drainage.

Repeated cutting and mowing of the young plants before they set seed will provide effective control. 

16. Yellow Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)

• Local Name: Common Toadflax
• Family: Plantaginaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Like many other Eurasian natives, Yellow Toadflax was introduced in Canadian provinces like Alberta as an ornamental and for other economic uses. 

While it can provide stunning lance-shaped leaves and showy yellow blooms to brighten your garden, it can easily escape and aggressively take over. 

Remove by pulling where applicable or incorporate heavy cultivation to ensure you dig out all the root stalks.  

17. Buckhorn Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)

• Local Name: Narrow-leaved Plantain, English Plantain, or Rib Grass
• Family: Plantaginaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Buckhorn Plantain is a common garden weed that grows 30- 60 cm tall. It can be identified by its mature, elongated leaves with whitish midveins that form a basal rosette and a dense cluster of inconspicuous flowers on a cylindrical, upright flowerhead. 

This weed forms dense patches, quickly overtaking other desirable vegetation. It may also be a strong indicator of areas with low fertility. 

Quick removal intervention is vital for this plantain weed. Repeated hand-pulling and digging of the young plants to remove the root system is the best way to eradicate it. Monitor consistently and repeat the control measures as required to prevent regrowth. 

Laying a landscape fabric and organic mulch on seedlings can also limit weed growth and spread. 

18. Lamb’s Quarter (Chenopodium berlandieri) 

• Local Name: Lamb’s Quarter or Pigweed
• Family: Amaranthaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Lamb’s Quarter is an annual weed native to Europe and Asia that grows 1-2m tall. It has since spread to many parts of North America, including Alberta, CA. 

The common garden weed tends to produce many seeds, compete for important resources, and grow faster than other vegetation. Its dense growth can also shade out other low-growing plants, leading to their death.

Remove young plants by hand-pulling or apply organic mulch to suppress their growth.

19. Sow Thistle (Sonchus arvensis)

• Local Name: Mash Thistle, Field Thistle, Field Milk Thistle, or Creeping Sow Thistle
• Family: Asteraceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial

The perennial sow thistle is a common noxious garden weed throughout Alberta. It has long, slightly toothed leaves, yellow ray flowers, and can grow up to 1.5m tall. 

The weed spreads by seeds, which sprout in mid to late May in Alberta. What makes it a noxious weed is that it grows deep underground roots, such that even small infestations can choke out other desirable plants. 

Remove the young plants before they seed through digging and dispose of the fragments properly. 

20. Kochia (Bassia scoparia)

• Local Name: Tumbleweed
• Family: Amaranthaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Kochia is an Eurasian native that was introduced as an ornamental in Canada but has since become a problematic weed, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions of Alberta.

The thick bushy olive green weed grows about 4-5 feet tall. It is a prolific seed producer, resilient in dry and saline conditions, and germinates early, and grows rapidly, encouraging quick spread in gardens.

The good news is that the young plant’s shallow taproots are easy to remove through pulling or hoeing. 

Sylvia Kiragu

Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.

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The post 20 Common Weeds in Alberta, CA, You’re Likely to Find in Your Garden appeared first on InsightWeeds.

Clover produces trifoliate green leaves with red or purplish hues or white flecks and white blossoms.

When managing desired vegetation, distinguishing between clover and similar-looking weeds is crucial for effective weed control. Clover-like weeds often mimic the appearance of the true clover but can be invasive, requiring specific eradication strategies.

Here, we’ll explore several common weeds that resemble clover, detailing their characteristics, nativity, and the best eradication methods.

1. Black Medicago (Medicago lupulina)

• Local Name: Black clover, Black Nonesuch, Black medick
• Family: Fabaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual or perennial

Medicago lupulina is a broadleaf evergreen plant that spreads about 2 feet across the ground. It is commonly found in lawns, pastures, fields, and other disturbed lands. 

The weed resembles clover with green oval trifoliate leaves, but its leaves are more pointed and the central leaflet has a longer stalk.

It is native to:

• Europe
• Asia
• North Africa

Removal Methods

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling individual plants before they flower and set seed can provide effective control for small infestations.
• Chemical control: Apply herbicides like Dicamba, 2,4-D, Fluroxypyr, or MCPP.

2. Yellow Woodsorrel (Oxalis stricta)

• Local Name: Common yellow woodsorrel, Lemon clover, Oxalis, Woodsorrel, Shamrock plant.
• Family: Oxalidaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Yellow woodsorrel is a perennial weed that grows 6-15 inches tall. It is a common weed in lawns, gardens, meadows, grasslands, and disturbed areas.

Oxalis has trifoliate leaves, similar to clover. However, the leaves are more heart-shaped, unlike the oval shape of a clover leaf. It also is a perennial weed like the clover. 

It is native to:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia

Removal Methods

• Mechanical control: They are relatively easy to pull or dig out and it’s best done before they develop seed pods.
• Cultural control: Apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch to prevent the seeds from germinating. Maintaining turf density and health will also help crowd out Oxalis.
• Chemical control: Preemergence herbicides like dithiopyr, prodiamine, and pendimethalin offer the best control. Postemergence herbicides like glyphosate, dicamba, MCPP, and triclopyr may offer varied results based on the level of infestation. 

3. Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum)

• Local Name: Alsike clover
• Family: Fabaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Alsike clover is a perennial plant belonging to the bean family that grows about 10-15 cm tall. It is a common weed of pastures, meadows, roadsides, and abandoned fields. 

Alsike clover resembles the Trifolium repens because of its trifoliate leaves and whitish-pink flowers. Similarly, it is also a highly nutritive forage for livestock. However, the Alsike clover is a semi-erect plant and its leaflets are not mottled.

It is native to:

• Europe
• Asia

Removal Methods

• Mechanical control: Regular mowing can help eradicate large weed infestations.
• Cultural control: Rotational grazing and reseeding the turf will discourage Alsike growth.
• Chemical control: Alsike clover is tolerant to several herbicides. However, glyphosate may provide effective control if applied on actively growing foliage. 

4. Strawberry Clover (Trifolium fragiferum)

• Local Name: Strawberry clover
• Family: Fabaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Strawberry clover is a perennial herb 10-30 cm tall. Like white clover, it is cultivated for pasture, silage, and manure and also as a cover crop.

Apart from their similarities in usage, the strawberry leaves are trifoliate similar to clover. However, the Trifolium fragiferum leaves can be glabrous or sparsely hairy and have distinctive veins from the midrib to the edges of the leaflets. 

It is native to:

• Asia
• North Africa
• Europe

Removal Methods

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling or digging out individual plants can help eradicate small infestations.
• Chemical control: Repeated applications of glyphosate, dicamba, fluroxypyr, or quinclorac will effectively control larger infestations.

5. Hop Trefoil (Trifolium campestre)

• Local Name: Low hop clover, Plains clover, and field clover
• Family: Fabaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Hop trefoil is an annual herb 10-30 cm tall. It thrives in dry sandy soils and can be found in crop fields, grasslands, roadsides, and wastelands. 

This weed features light green, trifoliate, hairy leaves, closely mimicking clover in appearance. 

It is native to:

• Europe

Removal Methods

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling and mowing before the seed set can limit its growth.
• Cultural control: Maintaining a dense and vigorous turf and avoiding overgrazing in pastures will help reduce its spread.
• Chemical control: Apply preemergence herbicides like pendimethalin and dithiopyr. Postemergence products containing glyphosate, 2,4-D, and dicamba can be effective if applied during the active growth phase.

Sylvia Kiragu

Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.

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The post List of Weeds That Look Like Clover appeared first on InsightWeeds.

However, due to its rapid and robust growth, the plant can quickly become weedy and invasive if not well managed. 

Fortunately, its tap root system makes it easy to eliminate it mechanically. Let’s show you how to do it.

How to Get Rid of a Crimson Clover 

Crimson clover has a simple tap root system that makes it easy to kill by mowing. Once a tap root is cut off, there is no chance of regrowth, and the plant is often fatally harmed. 

That said, the timing makes all the difference. For best results, mow the plant cover after the early bud stage. 

Crimson clover provides the highest nitrogen at late bloom, so it’s best to cut it off at this stage for farmers who want to get ahead before it becomes weedy. 

Experts have observed that even when crimson clover is in early bloom it is killed off better than in its vegetative state.

A rolling stalk chopper or other mowing machinery can help terminate the clover.

That’s it!

It is easy to deal with a crimson clover invasion, but only if you get the timing right. 

Sylvia Kiragu

Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.

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The post Dealing With a Crimson Clover Invasion Might Be Easier Than You Think appeared first on InsightWeeds.

The good news is that you can eliminate most of these weeds. However, the first step towards eradication is identifying the species you are dealing with, so it is important to know the most common weeds in Alabama. 

Below is a look at these weeds, their botanical name, identifying features, and top ways to eliminate them. 

1. Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

• Local Name: Dandelion
• Family: Asteraceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Common dandelion is a perennial flowering plant with leafless stems that can grow between 5 and 40cm (sometimes 70cm) tall. Its leaves grow in a basal rosette pattern, with blades about 1-8cm wide and 5-37cm long. 

The leaves are dark green and simple, with deep lobes and deeply serrated margins. When broken, they produce a milk sap. 

The plant produces solitary flower heads that look like puffballs at the tip of each stalk (stem). The flowers are bright yellow, with 100-300 ray florets surrounding a yellow disc of florets. 

Common dandelion is native to Eurasia. However, it is naturalized in several regions worldwide, including: 

• USA (all the 50 states) 
• Canada
• South America
• New Zealand
• Australia
• South Africa

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand pulling or digging up the roots using special dandelion removal tools. This is best done when the soil is moist to facilitate the removal of the entire taproot.  
• Natural methods: Homemade weedkiller remedies such as boiling water and vinegar-soap dish solution can help contain dandelion. 
• Chemical herbicides: Selective broadleaf herbicides (dicamba, Mecoprop, and 2,4-D) or non-selective herbicides like glyphosate effectively eradicate dandelions. 
• Prevention: You can prevent common dandelion infestations by mulching, regular mowing (for lawns), and applying pre-emergent herbicides. 

2. Common Chickweed (Stellaria media)

• Local Name: Chickweed 
• Family: Caryophyllaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Chickweed is an erect annual plant that grows to only 2 inches (sometimes 4-6 inches) tall and forms thick, dense mats. Its small, light green leaves are about 3-10mm wide and 6-25mm long. 

The leaf blades are oval-shaped (with a teardrop-like appearance), oppositely arranged, and with a toothless margin. 

On the other hand, the stems are branching, light green (with purplish tinges), and coated with a line of hairs. 

Chickweed blooms small, white flowers (about 1cm in diameter) with five white petals. The flowers later develop into seed capsules containing several tiny reddish-to-brown seeds.  

The plant is native to Eurasia. However, it is widely naturalized in several regions worldwide, including: 

• USA
• Mexico
• Canada
• Alaska
• South America (Colombia, Chile) 
• New Zealand 
• Pacific Islands

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: Mechanical control techniques like hand weeding, cultivation, and solarization can help eradicate chickweed when the plants are small and young.  
• Natural methods: You can eradicate chickweed using homemade remedies like boiling water, vinegar, vinegar-salt-soap dish solution, and rubbing alcohol. 
• Chemical control: You can eradicate chickweed using post-emergent herbicides, such as dicamba, MCCP, and Fluroxypyr. You can also contain the weed by spraying pre-emergent herbicides to prevent the germination of new plants. 
• Biological control: Birds and livestock can help contain the spread of the plant by grazing on the foliage. Ground beetles also feed on chickweed seeds, which can prevent the germination of new plants. 

3. Clover (Trifolium repens) 

• Local Name: Clover, white clover, Dutch clover
• Family: Fabaceae 
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

White clover (Dutch clover or Ladino clover) is a low-growing herbaceous plant that grows 6-12 inches tall. Its creeping stems (stolons) can spread about 10-40cm long, producing roots and shoots at the nodes. 

It has trifoliate leaves, with three green, oval-shaped leaflets surrounded by a distinctive white, crescent-shaped band. The leaflets form a shamrock symbol and are attached to the stems by a long petiole.

White clover has white flowers (with pink tinges) which bloom from early summer. Each flowerhead has about 20-80 fragrant white florets. 

It is native to:

• Europe
• Central Asia

However, it is widespread in several regions worldwide, including North America, the British Isles, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. 

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: It can be contained by mechanical methods like hand-pulling, digging out the plant with gardening tools, and cultivation (in gardens). 
• Natural methods: It can be eradicated with natural weed killers like boiling water, corn gluten, and vinegar-soap dish solution. 
• Chemical control: Selective broadleaf herbicides like Dicamba, Mecoprop, and Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid can eradicate white clover, especially if it grows in lawns. 
• Prevention: You can prevent an infestation or re-infestation of white clover through preventative measures like mulching and adding nitrogen fertilizer to your lawn or crops. 

Here’s a complete guideline for eliminating white clover without killing your grass.

4. Mulberry Weed (Fatoua villosa) 

• Local Name: Mulberry weed, Foolish weed, Hairy crabweed
• Family: Moraceae 
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Mulberry weed (crabweed or hairy crabweed) is a tall, erect-growing weed that can reach up to 4 feet tall. Its leaves are yellow-green, alternately arranged, and have prominent veins and toothed margins. 

The leaf blades are heart-shaped, large (up to 10cm long), and covered with prominent hairs. The plant’s stems grow in a branching pattern and are covered with sticky hairs. 

Mulberry weed produces purple flowers which bloom in feathery clusters on the leaf axils.

The inflorescence changes to dark brown as the seeds form, developing into achenes that open up explosively, expelling the seeds up to four feet away. 

It is native to:

• Japan
• Indonesia
• Korea
• Philippines
• Thailand
• Vietnam
• Korea
• Australia
• Pacific Islands
• New Guinea

Removal Methods 

• Hand-pulling: Hand-pulling the plant (including the tap root) can be an effective control solution when the plants are young and before flowering and seeding. 
• Natural control: Mulching, suffocating with a plastic bag, or burning the plant with a weed burner. 
• Chemical control: The best control solution is post-emergent herbicides like Glyphosate, Triclopyr, and Glufosinate, or pre-emergent herbicides to prevent germination of new plants.

5. Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua) 

• Local Name: Annual Bluegrass, Low Speargrass
• Family: Poaceae 
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Annual bluegrass is a clumping, slightly creeping, and low-growing grass (about 15-25cm tall) that commonly invades lawns and turfgrass areas. 

It has light green leaves folded in the buds and smooth (with no hairs) on both surfaces. 

The leaf blades are about 1-5mm wide and 1.3-12.7cm long and have slightly (sometimes transversely) serrated margins. 

The grass produces small white to light green spikes of open, triangular-shaped inflorescence panicles that bloom in clusters. The plant flowers all year round (except during harsh winters). 

It is native to temperate areas of: 

• Europe
• Asia
• Africa

However, it is widely distributed in several regions, including North America, South America, Australia, North Africa, Antarctica, and more. 

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: You can remove small infestations by hand-pulling or digging the grass with gardening tools. 
• Natural control: Natural weed control remedies like white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and baking soda can help contain the weed grass.  
• Chemical control: It can be eradicated by pre-emergent herbicides like dithiopyr and trifluralin or post-emergent herbicides like Clethodim and fluazifop. You can also spot-treat with non-selective herbicides like glyphosate and Glufosinate. 
• Cultural control: You can keep Poa annua away from your lawn by maintaining a healthy lawn, mowing regularly, mulching, proper fertilization, and other lawncare practices. 

6. Evening Primrose (Oenothera speciosa)

• Local Name: Showy Evening Primrose, Pink Sundrops, Pink Ladies
• Family: Onagraceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Evening Primrose (Showy Evening Primrose) is a perennial wildflower with hairy stems reaching up to 50 cm in height. It has green hair leaves with short (or no) petiole that grows to about 4 cm wide and 10 cm long. 

The leaves are alternately arranged, with pointed tips and wavy (sometimes toothed) margins. 

The plant also produces showy, pink to whitish flowers that open in the evening (or cloudy weather) and close in the morning. 

Evening primrose flowers are cup-shaped, with four heart-shaped, fragrant petals. The plant also bears seed capsules, which produce egg-shaped seeds clustered in two or more rows. 

It is native to:

• Kansas
• Missouri 
• Nebraska
• Oklahoma
• Texas 
• New Mexico

It has since become naturalized in several states across the United States and Mexico. 

Removal Methods

• Hand pulling: Pulling (or digging out) the entire plant from the roots. You can also contain the spread of the plant by cutting off the flowers before they produce seeds. 
• Chemical control: Because of its highly invasive nature, Oenothera speciosa is best controlled by chemical herbicides, for example, non-selective herbicides like glyphosate. 

7. Black Nightshade (Solanum americanum) 

• Local Name: American black nightshade
• Family: Solanaceae 
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Black nightshade (American black nightshade, small-flowered nightshade, or glossy nightshade) is an herbaceous flowering plant that grows up to 1-1.5m tall. 

It has green to purplish hairy stems, which grow in a branching pattern. 

The plant has green, hairy leaves that are alternately arranged, ovate to lanceolate in shape, and with entire (sometimes irregular) margins. The leaves are large, reaching about 7cm wide and 10cm long. 

Black nightshade has tiny white (sometimes purplish) star-shaped flowers with a yellow, cone-shaped stamen. It also bears clusters of green berries, which turn into a shiny black or dark purple when ripe. 

It is native to:

• North America
• South America
• Melanesia 
• New Guinea
• Australia 

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand pulling or digging up (with tools) the entire plant from the roots for small infestation. It can also be eradicated by regular mowing, plowing, and cultivating when dealing with infestations in lawns or crop fields. 
• Chemical control: It can be eradicated by applying post-emergent herbicides like dicamba, glyphosate, Glufosinate, and bromoxynil. You can also apply pre-emergent herbicides like Atrazine, isoxaflutole, or pyroxasulfone to prevent the emergence of new shoots. 
• Cultural control: Cultural practices like mulching, soil PH tests, fertilization, and planting of high-yielding competitive plants can help curtail or minimize the spread of Solanum americanum. 

8. Carolina Geranium (Geranium carolinianum) 

• Local Name: Carolina Crane’s Bill
• Family: Geraniaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual (or biennial)

Carolina geranium (Carolina Crane’s Bill) is a short, erect herb that grows to about 30-45cm tall. Its hairy, pink-to-red stems emerge from the base of the plant in a radial pattern. 

It has grayish-green, opposite palmate leaves divided into five segments with a deeply toothed margin. Like the stems, the leaflets are covered with fine hairs. 

The plant has small flowers that bloom in tight clusters at the tip of the stems or branches. The flowers have five petals and are light pink, white, or lavender. 

Carolina geranium is native to North America. It is also widespread (and considered an invasive species) in several states across the USA and central and south Mexico. 

Removal Methods 

• Hand weeding: Its shallow taproot makes it easy to pull out the entire plant, especially in gardens, lawns, and landscape beds. When hand-pulling, it is vital to remove the plant before it produces seeds. 
• Chemical control: It can be eradicated by spraying post-emergent herbicides like 2,4-D, Mecoprop, dicamba, and glyphosate. Pre-emergent herbicides like Atrazine can also prevent the germination of new plants. 
• Cultural control: Mowing, fertilization, irrigation, and keeping the grass healthy can help control the weeds in lawns and turfgrass areas. 

9. Giant Foxtail (Setaria faberi) 

• Local Name: Japanese bristlegrass, Nodding foxtail, Chinese Foxtail
• Family: Poaceae 
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Giant foxtail (nodding bristlegrass, Chinese millet, or giant bristlegrass) is a clumping, colony-forming grass reaching 2-5 feet tall. 

It has smooth, erect-growing solitary stems that branch from the base of the plant. 

Setaria faberi has large (4-6 inches long and 7-20mm wide), light-green alternate leaves with short hairs on the upper surface. 

The leaves are attached to the stem by a round, open sheath with several hairs along the margin. 

The grass produces green, drooping spikeheads at the tip of the branches. The inflorescence (which resembles a foxtail, hence the common name) turns straw-colored over time. 

Setaria faberi is native to Asia. However, it is widely distributed across the United States. 

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: Digging out the entire plant using gardening tools, frequent mowing, and repeated tillage before seeding can eradicate the grass. 
• Chemical control:  Spray with non-selective herbicides like glyphosate or selective herbicides like Lambient. Repeated treatments might be needed to eradicate new germinations if the grass has already produced seeds. 

10. Broadleaf Plantain (Plantago rugelii)

• Local Name: American plantain or Black seed plantain
• Family: Plantaginaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Broadleaf plantain (pale plantain, or Rugel’s plantain) is a perennial herb with erect-growing flowering stems that reach 5-25cm in height. 

It produces large, basal rosette leaves, with mature leaf blades reaching 3-6 inches long and 1-3 inches wide. 

The leaves are light green, oval to elliptical in shape, hairless, and wavy in margins. A thick stalk (up to 0.5 inches) with deep purplish red tinges attaches the leaves to the base of the plant. 

Plantago rugelii has inconspicuous, cellophane white flowers with four triangular-shaped petals that are folded back. The flowers bloom in a clustered spike head that forms at the top of the stems. 

The plant is native to North America and common in the central and eastern United States and Eastern Canada. 

Removal Methods 

• Hand weeding: Pulling the plant by hand or gardening tools may help eradicate small patches. However, the entire plant must be removed to prevent re-germination. 
• Chemical control: Spray with pre-emergent herbicides like isoxaben, indaziflam, and mesotrione or post-emergent herbicides like 2,4-D, dicamba, diquat, glyphosate, Mecoprop, and Triclopyr. 

Since this is a broadleaf weed, you can use any of these broadleaf elimination methods.

11. Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus)

• Local Name: Woodland sunflower, spreading sunflower 
• Family: Asteraceae 
• Annual or Perennial:  Perennial 

Woodland sunflower (rough sunflower or rough woodland sunflower) is a tall-growing herb that can reach 60-180cm tall and 30-90cm wide. 

It is an aggressively growing plant that can spread vigorously through creeping rhizomes, forming large colonies. 

Helianthus divaricatus has dark green, short-stalked leaves arranged oppositely on the stems. The leaves have a wide base, a pointed tip, smooth to slightly toothed margins, and hairy undersides. 

The plant has conspicuous, star-shaped, bright yellow flowers, with 8-15 yellow florets surrounding a yellow or orange central disc. Flowering occurs from early summer to fall and form at the tip of the stems. 

It is native to central and eastern North America, including: 

• Alabama
• Louisiana
• Iowa 
• Florida
• Oklahoma
• Ontario
• Quebec

Removal Methods 

Because it aggressively spreads through rhizomes, most weed control practices, such as hand-pulling, mowing, and tilling, are ineffective. 

Therefore, chemical herbicides are the best solution to eradicate Helianthus divaricatus. 

Depending on where it grows, you can spray infestations with broadleaf herbicides like Triclopyr and Clopyralid or non-selective herbicides like glyphosate. 

Note: Woodland sunflowers have an impressive rhizome root system that can keep producing new shoots after the old ones die. Therefore, several herbicide treatments are needed to eradicate the plant. 

12. Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta)

• Local Name: Hairy bittercress, common bittercress
• Family: Brassicaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual (sometimes biennial) 

Hairy bittercress is a low-growing plant with short stems (3-8 inches long), often reddish purple at the base and greener up the stem. 

It has small, green, basal rosette leaves that are pinnately divided into about 8-15 leaflets and attached to the stem by short petioles. 

The leaflets are ovate to round in shape with smooth or serrated margins. The upper part of the leaflets stems, and petioles are covered by sparse hairs. 

Cardamine hirsuta has small, white flowers with four white petals. The flowers bloom in clusters, with single flowers forming on erect pedicels (stalks). 

It is native to:

• Europe
• Middle East
• Southeast Asia
• South Asia
• Central Asia
• Africa (central, north, and horn of Africa)

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: Small patches can be easily eradicated by hand-pulling or digging them out with gardening tools. Tillage and mowing can also be used to control it. 
• Cultural control: Mulching, fertilization, and proper lawn management can contain the spread of hairy bittercress and keep it off your lawn.  
• Chemical control: Spraying with selective and broadleaf herbicides like 2,4-D, Mecoprop, dicamba, glyphosate, Triclopyr, and clopyralid. 

13. Common Sow Thistle (Sonchus oleraceus) 

• Local Name: Sow thistle, smooth sow thistle
• Family: Asteraceae 
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Common sow thistle (hare’s colwort, hare’s thistle, milk thistle, or soft thistle) is an erect-growing plant with hollow stems that reach up to 30-100cm in height. 

It has simple, dark green leaves that measure about 6-20cm long by 2-9cm wide. 

The leaves are lanceolate to oblanceolate in shape and alternately arranged (one leaf per node) along the stem. 

Lower leaves have serrated margins and deep lobes, while upper leaves have shallow and entire, serrated margins. 

The plant produces conspicuous yellow flower heads. Each flower head has 80-250 ray florets without a central disc. 

It is native to:

• Europe
• Western Asia
• Middle East
• Africa

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling can be effective when the plant is young. However, older plants are harder to pull out of the ground, as they can easily break off only to re-emerge later. 
• Natural control: Natural weed killer solutions like vinegar, boiling water, corn gluten, and others might work in small patches of young plants. 
• Chemical control: The weed can be eradicated by spraying herbicides like glyphosate, diuron, clopyralid, 2,4-D, and dicamba. 

14. Jimson Weed (Datura stramonium) 

• Local Name: Jimsonweed, Devil’s apple, Thorn apple
• Family: Solanaceae 
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Jimson weed (devil’s trumpet or thornapple) is an erect, bush-forming herb that grows to 60-200cm tall. Its stout, green to purplish stems are hollow inside and branching in the upper portions. 

The plant has simple green leaves measuring 8-25cm long by 6-17cm wide, arranged alternately along the stems. The leaf blades are ovate to elliptic, with deep, irregular leaves. 

Datura stramonium has white to purplish trumpet-shaped flowers that open at night. The flowers release a pleasant fragrance that attracts nocturnal moths. 

It also bears a green, spiny fruit capsule that turns dark brown when mature.  

Jimson weed is native to tropical regions of the Americas. However, it is widely distributed across several regions worldwide. 

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling and cultivation are effective against young plants. However, older plants may re-emerge after cultivation. 
• Chemical control: Post-emergent herbicides like glyphosate, glufosinate-ammonium, and clopyralid; pre-emergent herbicides like flumioxazin and oxyfluorfen; and broadleaf herbicides like 2,4-D, dicamba, and Triclopyr. 
• Biological control: Alternaria crassa, a fungus, and threelined potato beetle (Lema trivittata) effectively control Datura stramonium. 

15. Common Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea) 

• Local Name: Purple morning glory, Tall morning glory 
• Family: Convolvulaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial in native habitat but annual or short-lived perennial in naturalized areas. 

Common morning glory (tall morning glory or purple morning glory) is a climbing plant that can grow up to 2-3m in height. It has purplish-green trailing (or entwining) stems covered by hairs. 

Its leaves are green, simple, alternately arranged, and measuring 4-8cm long by 3-5cm wide. 

They are heart-shaped, with a wide base and sharp tip, covered with slight hairs on the upper surface, and sporting an entire margin. 

Ipomoea purpurea has showy white and purple (sometimes blue or pink) trumpet-shaped flowers. The flowerheads have a long stalk (up to 12cm) and small bracts covered in hairs. 

The weed is native to Mexico and Central America but widely naturalized in temperate and subtropical regions worldwide. 

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling is effective when dealing with young plants. Small infestations of mature plants can also be cut down and the roots dug out. 
• Chemical control: It can be eradicated using various herbicides, such as 2,4-D, Atrazine, glyphosate, oxyfluorfen, promamide, diuron, diquat, and simazine. 

16. Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)

• Local Name: Eastern poison ivy
• Family: Anacardiaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Poison ivy (Eastern poison ivy) is a deciduous, woody vine that causes itchy and painful skin rushes, hence the name. 

It can grow as a shrub (up to 1.2m tall), trailing vine (10-25m long), or climbing vine (entwining on trees and other structures for support). 

The plant has light to dark green trifoliate leaves that turn red, orange, or yellow during the fall. 

The leaflets (2-15cm long by 2-10cm wide) are alternately arranged in clusters on the vine and have a glossy surface with an entire (sometimes slightly serrated) margin. 

The plant also produces inconspicuous, small, yellow-green clustered flowers with five petals. The flowers later develop into green berries that turn greyish-white when ripe. 

It is native to:

• Asia
• USA
• Canada

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand pulling, mowing, or cutting might be effective for small infestations. However, these methods increase the risk of coming into contact with the plant, which is highly toxic to the skin. 
• Natural control: It can be controlled through natural remedies like salt & dish soap solution, vinegar, and boiling water. 
• Chemical control: Herbicides such as glyphosate, Triclopyr, and 2,4-D are the best way to eradicate poison ivy. Stump herbicide treatment can also be very effective at eradicating large plant infestations.  

17. Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) 

• Local Name: American pokeweed, common pokeweed
• Family: Phytolaccaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Pokeweed (common pokeweed, American pokeweed, pokeberry, pigeonberry weed, or inkberry) is an herbaceous plant growing to 1-3m tall. 

It has smooth, pinkish-red stems that are partially hollow and slightly rigid to flexible but not sturdy. 

It has alternate, lanceolate to ovate green leaves with a smooth surface and an entire margin. When mature, the leaves reach 41cm long and have a distinctive, unpleasant odor. 

Pokeweed has white to greenish (sometimes pink or purplish) flowers, bon in clusters along the stem. 

These flowers, which have sepals but no petals, mature and develop into purplish-black berries when ripe.  

It is native to:

• Asia
• North America 
• South America 

Removal Methods 

• Hand weeding: Hand pulling can be effective when dealing with young plants, especially when the soil is moist. You could also physically remove mature plants, but this would require digging out the entire root system, which can be too intensive. 
• Chemical control: Herbicides like 2,4-D, glyphosate, and dicamba effectively eradicate pokeweed infestations. 

NOTE: Phytolacca americana has a thick tap root system. Therefore, most natural (homemade) weed killers that only affect the foliage may not effectively control the plant. 

18. Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) 

• Local Name: European stinging nettle, Great nettle 
• Family: Urticaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Stinging nettle (common nettle, burn nettle, nettle leaf, or stinger) is an herbaceous perennial plant that grows 0.9-2m tall. 

Its erect, four-angled, green stems are covered with stinging hairs that can cause skin irritation. 

The plant has soft, green leaves about 1-6cm long by 1-4cm wide, arranged oppositely on the stem. 

The leaves are egg-shaped with a wide base, pointed top, coarsely toothed margins, and covered with stinging hairs (like the stem). 

The stinging nettle has small, inconspicuous, green to yellow flowers forming clusters in the leaf axils on the upper stem. The plant also bears egg-shaped tan achene fruits, each enclosing a single seed. 

It is native to:

• Europe 
• North America
• Parts of Asia
• North Africa 

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: You can hand-pull young stinging nettle plants, carefully protecting your skin from the spiky hairs. Repeated mowing or cutting down of the plant can retard its growth and eventually overwhelm the plant. 
• Chemical control: You can remove large infestations with herbicides like glyphosate, oxadiazon, oxyfluorfen, and isoxaben. However, several treatments might be needed to completely eradicate the weeds. 

NOTE: Stinging nettle has an aggressive rhizomatous root system. Therefore, digging, cultivating, and tillage are not recommended removal methods as they can disturb the soil and cut up and spread the rhizomes, leading to new plant germination.  

19. Wild Mustard (Sinapis arvensis) 

• Local Name: Corn mustard
• Family: Brassicaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Annual 

Wild mustard (corn mustard, field mustard, or charlock mustard) is an annual herb in the mustard family that grows to 20-80cm tall (although it can sometimes exceed one meter). 

Its erect, reddish, branching stems are covered in coarse hairs. 

Sinapis arvensis has medium green leaves (4-18cm long and 2-5cm wide) that initially develop from a basal rosette. 

The plant produces bright yellow flowers (typical of mustards), which bloom in clusters at the top of the stems. 

The flowers have four petals, spreading sepals (bracts), and are edible (with a flavor similar to that of radish or cabbage when cooked). 

It is native to:

• Europe
• Temperate regions of Asia
• Northern Africa

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: Hand-pulling and digging out the plant are effective non-herbicide control options when dealing with young plants (before seeding) and small infestations. 
• Chemical control: For mature and large patches of wild mustard, spraying with herbicides like 2,4-D, dicamba, glyphosate, paraquat, MCPA, and mesotrione can help eradicate the weed. 

20. Mock Strawberry (Potentilla indica) 

• Local Name: Mock strawberry, Indian strawberry 
• Family: Rosaceae 
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Mock strawberry (Indian strawberry, false strawberry, or backyard strawberry) is a low-growing shrub that grows 6-7cm tall. 

It has creeping runners (more than 30cm long) that spread along the ground, producing new shoots at each node. 

The plant has dark evergreen trifoliate leaves, alternately arranged and attached to the stems by short stalks. 

Each leaflet is about 2-4.5cm long, elliptical in shape, roughly veined on the undersurface, and with a toothed margin. 

Mock strawberries have solitary yellow flowers with five obovate petals, five green bracts, and numerous yellow stamens. 

The plant also produces fleshy-looking, bright red fruit resembling a true strawberry. The fruit is edible, but many consider it dry and lacking the sweet flavor of true strawberries.  

Potentilla indica is native to Asia in the following areas: 

• India
• Bhutan
• Nepal
• Afghanistan
• China
• Pakistan
• Thailand 
• Philippines
• Vietnam
• Indonesia 
• Taiwan
• Laos
• Korea

Removal Methods 

• Mechanical control: You can eradicate mock strawberries by hand weeding them. Hand-pulling is easier when the soil is moist, but you can also use a digging tool. 
• Natural control: Natural weed remedies like vinegar, boiling water, cornmeal, and baking soda can effectively eradicate mock strawberries. 
• Chemical control: Selective, post-emergent herbicides like Mecoprop, dicamba, Triclopyr, and 2,4-D are very effective at eradicating infestations. 
• Cultural control: Practices like mulching, regular mowing, proper fertilization, soil PH management, improving drainage, and healthy lawn management can curtail the spread (or prevent encroachment) of Potentilla indica.  

Sylvia Kiragu

Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.

insightweeds.com/

The post 20 Common Weeds in Alabama and Ways To Get Rid of Them appeared first on InsightWeeds.

Such weeds can complete seed production immediately after flowering. As a result, they can destroy good crops like sugar beets, soybeans, and other vegetables.

Properly managing fast-growing weeds is important to prevent them from spreading and competing with desired plants. 

But what are the examples of fastest-growing weeds, and how can you remove them?

1. Bindweed

Bindweed is a genus of over 200 species of flowering plants identified by their thin thread-like vines. It is native to Europe but is now naturalized worldwide.

The perennial weed spreads from an extensive rootstock and seed. It can be noxious to other plants because the vines wrap themselves tightly to plants. However, the plant reproduces from roots, rhizomes, and stem fragments.

Bindweed can grow fast because the seeds can lie dormant in the soil for many years. Therefore, the best way of removing it is through repeated applications of a pre-emergent herbicide or hoeing.

2. Crabgrass

Crabgrass is an invasive warm-season grass that reproduces by seeds. It also has a prolific branching habit, with a single plant producing hundreds of tillers and seeds.

Crabgrass is an annual weed found in almost every landscape or turf. It is native to Europe or Eurasia and is distributed worldwide.

Crabgrass can be annoying because it thrives well in lawns. You can identify it by its coarse-textured, yellowish-green colour.

You can eliminate crabgrass by applying a granular, selective, pre-emergent herbicide. Alternatively, prune or pull the plant whenever it appears using specialized tools.

3. Dandelion

The Dandelion is one of the worst invasive weeds. The perennial plant is native to Eurasia but widespread throughout North America.

You can identify the weed by its deeply lobed leaves and composite flower heads with bright yellow flowers. Dandelions grow fast because one plant can produce up to 15,000 seeds.

Once dandelions invade your garden or lawn, kill them by digging the weeds by the roots because of their taproot system. Alternatively, you can spray them with a herbicide.

However, if you’ve only spotted a few, simply remove them using dandelion removal tools.

4. Chickweed

Chickweed is a cold-season annual plant recognisable by the line of hairs down its stem. The plant is native to Europe and naturalized worldwide.

Chickweed is one of the weeds that grow tall. The weed can grow up to 18 inches. However, its stem usually sprawls across the ground.

Chickweed thrives in cool, moist, and shaded areas. You will often find it in cultivated fields, pastures, gardens, shady lawns, roadsides, and plantation crops.

You can manage chickweed by hand-pulling or hoeing the plant before it sets seed. Mulching can also prevent its seeds from germinating.

5. Clover

Clover is a genus of over 200 plants native to Europe. The perennial weed has rhizomatous stems that grow up to 30 cm long and have a three-leaf structure.

Clover grows easily in moist fields. Since it is a plant in the legume family, clover naturally fixes nitrogen in the soil. That gives it the property of growing faster in the right conditions.

You can get rid of clover by treating it with a herbicide. Alternatively, consider hand-pulling, hoeing, or mulching to prevent seed germination.

6. Creeping Charlie

Creeping Charlie is an aromatic, perennial, evergreen weed of the mint family native to Europe. It is also among the worst weeds in the world because it spreads by seeds that can disperse to many areas.

Creeping Charlie gets its name because it has creeping stems or stolons. The plant grows well in moist, shady spots, including under shrubs and trees.

The best way of controlling Creeping Charlie is by mowing the affected area regularly at a height of about three inches. 

Fertilising, overseeding in the fall, and watering the lawn well are other methods of eliminating the plant.

7. Fat hen

Fat hen is among the annoying weeds that grow fast from seeds. The annual plant, native to Europe, grows between 0.2 and 2 metres tall and has matt green, diamond-shaped leaves and white flowers.

Fat hen grows quickly around the open ground, competing with other weeds and plants for nutrients. Also, the weed can out-compete re-seeded areas of grass.

Tackle Fat hen early or immediately once you notice it growing in your garden or lawn. However, other techniques you can use include hoeing to remove young seedlings and pulling by hand before it sets seed.

8. Ground Ivy

Ground Ivy is a perennial scrambling herbaceous plant native to Eurasia. It is also a low-growing, creeping weed that spreads by seed and stolons that root at the nodes.

You can identify Ground Ivy with its opposite, heart-shaped, scalloped leaves and square stems. It mostly grows in moist areas like floodplains, low woods, and disturbed sites.

Ground Ivy is a vigorous grower that spreads across the ground, forming dense patches that push out native plants. Therefore, the best removal methods include herbicide application, hand-pulling, or raking.

9. Henbit

Henbit is an annual or biennial weed native to Europe and Asia and is a member of the mint family. The plant commonly grows in waste areas, landscapes, and no-till fields.

You can identify Henbit by its greenish to purplish, tender stems. Although its stems grow upright, they can also root at the lower nodes.

Henbit has a shallow taproot that becomes branched. Because of the taproot system, removal methods include hand-pulling or hoeing the plant to remove all root fragments. 

Also, a pre-emergent herbicide applied in the fall can prevent henbit from germinating.

10. Japanese knotweed

Japanese knotweed is one of the many invasive garden weeds. It is a herbaceous perennial plant native to Japan, North China, Taiwan, and Korea.

Japanese knotweed can grow up to ten feet tall. It has hollow, bamboo-like stems with purple speckles, and its leaves are large, heart-shaped, and pointed at the tip.

Japanese knotweed can grow up to ten centimetres a day during the summer and overwhelm other plants. 

Therefore, remove it by digging up the entire plant and its extensive root system or applying a selective herbicide to kill it.

There are several other organic ways of removing Japanese Knotweed.

11. Johnson grass

Johnson grass is an annoying perennial grass weed. It is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe and Africa.

Johnson grass grows to a height of eight feet. It has wide leaves with thickened whitish midribs.

The weed mainly grows in fertile soils. It is invasive and can reduce corn, grain, soybean, cotton, and leguminous forage yields.

You can control Johnson grass by digging up its roots. Alternatively, use a glyphosate-based herbicide to prevent the plant from germinating.

12. Kudzu

Kudzu is a semi-woody, trailing or climbing perennial vine. It is one of the worst and fastest-growing invasive vine weeds native to Asia.

Kudzu has large, trifoliate leaves, each with three leaflets. The weed can grow up to 0.3 meters per day in early summer and up to 18 meters during the growing season.

Also, Kudzu can grow in nearly any type of soil. Therefore, the best removal methods include chemical control, where you repeatedly apply a herbicide. Hoeing can also help remove the entire root system.

 13. Morning glory

Morning glory is a fast-growing flowering vine native to Mexico, Central America, and South America. It thrives well in warm, sunny spots.

Morning glory produces large, heart-shaped leaves and trumpet-shaped flowers in various colours, including blue, red, purple, or pink.

Because of its fast-growing properties, Morning glory requires a combination of physical and chemical management to eliminate it. 

In other words, use a hoe to remove its roots or pull the weed by hand. Alternatively, apply a pre-emergent herbicide to kill the plant.

14. Nutsedge

Nutsedge is a perennial weed native to many parts of the world. It grows actively during the frost-free season with stiffer and thicker leaves.

The plant also has a triangular stem in cross-section. During its growth cycle, Nutsedge reproduces by seed and underground tubers. These can remain dormant in the ground for several years.

Thus, chemical application is the best way of removing Nutsedge. Alternatively, you can dig out the plant to remove all its root fragments. 

Reducing soil moisture and fertility can also help reduce the weed populations in your garden.

15. Oxalis

Oxalis is a cool-season perennial weed native to North America but naturalized in the central United States, Europe, Africa, Asia, Japan, and New Zealand. 

It is an erect and readily branching weed that often forms dense mats from rhizomes.

Oxalis has leaves divided into three to ten leaflets. All the leaflets arise from a single point on the plant. It also has solitary flowers with five petals.

Oxalis forms adventitious roots when growing. Therefore, you can get rid of the weed by hand-pulling or hoeing. 

But to prevent its seeds from spreading, remove the plant while young and developing before the flowers and seed capsules form.

16. Pigweed

Pigweed is also known as amaranth. It is an edible weed in most parts of the world, especially in Africa. However, the plant is native to North and South America.

Pigweed is a summer annual weed that also acts as a perennial weed. It has oval to diamond-shaped leaves, which alternate on the stem. The plant also produces green, red, or purple flower clusters.

Pigweed is easy to hand pull. You can also use a hoe to remove the weeds from your garden. But as one of the annual weeds, a pre-emergent herbicide will kill it and prevent its future regrowth.

17. Poison ivy

Poison ivy is a woody perennial plant native to North America. It usually grows as a low, spreading shrub with fine stems. In other cases, it grows as an upright, three-foot-tall shrub or a woody vine.

Poison ivy has compound leaves with three glossy and smooth-edged leaflets. The plant also produces small, greenish-white flowers in the spring and white berries in the fall.

You can remove Poison ivy from your garden through hoeing to remove the entire root system. However, the permanent method involves the application of a herbicide.

18. Purslane

Purslane is a summer annual broadleaf weed native to North Africa, the Middle East, and India. It grows rapidly in spring and summer and is an important agricultural weed in some parts of the world.

Purslane has succulent leaves and stems. However, its stems are smooth and reddish and originate from a single taproot.

Although Purslane is an edible plant, it is a weed in many areas. And since it has a taproot system, you can remove it through hand pulling or hoeing.

19. Ragweed

Ragweed is an annual and sometimes perennial weed native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. It usually grows a few centimetres tall but can exceed four metres.  

Ragweed has erect, decumbent, or prostrate stems that grow from rhizomes. It has alternately arranged leaves and leaf blades that come in various shapes.

Weed and feed fertilisers are best to control Ragweed in established and actively growing lawns. However, proper management requires the removal of Ragweed before the plant reaches its seed-producing stages.

20. Thistle

Thistle is a name given to a group of plants in the Asteraceae family. These plants are characterised by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins.

Thistles can be annual or perennial plants. These weeds are native to North America, Europe, and Asia.

Thistles grow to a few centimetres tall or exceed five feet tall with dark to light purple flower heads. You can remove them using a stand-up weeding tool to uproot the individual plants.

Have your say?

What challenges have you faced with invasive garden weeds?

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 20 fastest-growing weeds and their removal methods appeared first on InsightWeeds.

While weed plants with yellow flowers might look appealing and beneficial (pollination, medicinal properties, etc.), they can be very distractive if they sprout your gardens and lawns.

In addition, some of these weeds can be very aggressive, easily overwhelming other plants on your lawn. Others are resilient and can keep returning after every eradication attempt, making them very frustrating.

Identifying weeds with yellow flowers is the first step to efficiently eradicating these unwanted plants. Below, we have compiled a list of the most common 20 weeds with yellow flowers and their unique characteristics.

Top 20 common weeds with yellow flowers

Below are some of the most common weeds with yellow flowers and how to identify them:

1. Yellow sorrel

Yellow sorrel (Oxalis stricta) is a common weed in North America, Europe, and Asia. It goes by several local names, such as sourgrass, sheep weed, lemon clover, and prickle plant.

The plant commonly attacks gardens, lawns, and fields. It is a very invasive species that spread through runners and seeds (germinating once they touch the soil).

Yellow sorrel is very similar to clover, with its leaves (trifoliate) originating from a single point on the stem. These leaves are bright green, with the stem, branches, and leaf stalks having fine hairs. On top of that, it produces small yellow flowers (five petals), which bloom from spring to fall.

You can get rid of yellow sorrel by pulling the plant from the ground, but you should ensure you get the entire root system; else, it will sprout back. You can also eradicate it using systemic herbicides such as glyphosate (Roundup).

2. Creeping cinquefoil

Creeping cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans) is a flowering plant found in North Africa, Europe, and North America (Ontario, Quebec, Alabama, Florida, and Texas).

It commonly grows on roadsides, grasslands, and borders but can easily invade lawns, gardens, and yards. Its attractive sight can fool you, but it is a highly invasive weed plant that spreads quickly and aggressively using quick-rooting runners.

You can identify creeping cinquefoil by segmented, jagged, 5-lobbed green leaves, similar to the strawberry plant.

The plant grows from the main taproot, with long runners (blackish) in all directions, reaching up to one foot. The plant also has little yellow flowers (five-petalled), which bloom around June to September.

You can eradicate creeping cinquefoil by pulling it from the ground or other mechanical means such as raking. However, chemical weeds (selective or systemic, depending on where it is growing) are the best option to control them completely.

3. Dandelion

Dandelion is one of the most common yellow-flowered weeds. It is a perennial plant native to Eurasia, but a common sight in North America, South America, Oceania, and India.

Some people consider it a beneficial plant due to its high nutritional benefit – it has lots of vitamins and minerals, and the flowers are even used to make wine. However, it is a highly invasive species that spread aggressively through seeding.

It also forms deep root systems, making it hard to eradicate. The plant usually grows in crop fields, orchards, lawns and turf, gardens, yards, and roadsides.

Dandelion has distinct basal leaves that have toothed edges. The leaves are dark green and produce a milky sap.

The plant has long, hollow stems on which yellow flowers bloom at the top in clusters, forming a flower head. Dandelion also produces a seed head, like a puffball, from where the wind scatters seeds.

Due to their deep-rooted system, removing dandelions by hand or with gardening tools is difficult. Therefore, herbicides are the most effective eradication technique, especially systemic weed killers such as Roundup.

4. Common evening primrose

Common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), or evening star, is a flowering plant native to the North American region. It commonly grows in landscapes (newly established), nurseries and seed beds, and crop fields but can occasionally invade lawns.

Common evening primrose is considered highly beneficial, with edible roots and shoots, and even used to produce evening primrose medicinal oil. However, it is highly invasive, as it has copious amounts of seeds, which easily spread and germinate.

You can identify common evening primrose with its narrow, lance-shaped leaves with smooth margins and red veins. The leaves grow in a rosette pattern in the first year before sprouting spirally from the stem as the plant matures.

Common evening primrose also has large, four-petalled, trumpet-shaped yellow flowers, which form a loose pattern on the stem.

You can eradicate common evening primrose through mechanical means – pulling by hands or digging tools from the ground. In case of widespread infestation, you can spot-treat with systemic herbicides such as glyphosate.

5. Golden clover

Golden Clover (Trifolium aureum) is a flowering plant native to Eurasia but widespread in other parts of the world, such as North America. It is one of the weeds with yellow flowers you are likely to find on your lawn. You can also see it in the fields, woodlands, roadsides, etc.

Golden clover produces compound leaves (in threes), which grow at the end of a short stalk. They are finely toothed from the tip of the leave but have a fine margin as you near the base. The plant’s stems are smooth but can occasionally have fine flattened hairs.

Golden clover also blooms a round to oval flower head, which feature small yellow flowers that turn creamy to rusty brown as the plant nears the seeding stage.

You can control golden clovers by pulling the weeds by hand from the ground. You can also use herbicides such as glyphosate if you prefer chemical control.

6. Birdsfoot trefoil

Birdsfoot trefoil is a perennial herbaceous native to Eurasia and North Africa but common around several regions worldwide. The plant can grow in diverse habitats, from lawns to crop fields, roadsides, woodlands, etc.

It is sometimes cultivated for forage and soil erosion control. However, it is an aggressive species that spreads fast and forms a dense mat, choking out other vegetation.

Birdsfoot trefoil is a low-growing plant with semi-erect stems (sometimes lying on the ground). It produces five leaflets – three compound leaflets similar to clover and two stalkless leaflets at the base of a stem.

It also has small, pea-like yellow flowers, which form a cluster pattern at the top of the stem. You can eradicate the weed plant through broadleaf herbicides such as 2-4-D, triclopyr, and dicamba.

7. Black-eyed susan

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) is a wildflower plant native to North America. It commonly grows in fields, open woodlands, roadsides, and abandoned areas.

Some people do not consider the plant a weed due to its appeal. It is even used as a symbol for the University of Southern Mississippi and Maryland. However, the plant is tolerant to harsh conditions and self-seeding and thus can spread fast if not controlled.

Black-eyed Susan is a tall growing plant that can reach up to 100 cm. It produces long, ovate leaves that are winged, deeply veined, and coarse, which grow irregularly along the stalk.

However, its most unique feature is the flower; it has singular flowerheads positioned at the top of the stalks. The flower heads have a prominent black to dark-brown cone at the centre, with bright yellow petals (like rays of the sun) surrounding them.

You can control the growth of black-eyed Susan by cutting the plant down to the ground. Immediately after cutting, you should treat the roots with a systemic herbicide to kill the plant.

8. Common ragwort

Common ragwort (Jacobaea Vulgaris) is a wildflower found in Europe, Asia, North America, and other parts of the world. It is known by several local names such as ragwort, stinking willie, tansy ragwort, etc.

It can be a beneficial plant, especially in attracting butterflies. However, it is highly invasive (spreading prolifically through seeds) and can be poisonous to humans and animals.

Common ragwort is one of the several tall weeds with yellow flowers you will likely come across. It has upright growing stems, reaching up to one meter in height. It also produces large, pinnately lobed leaves, which produce a stinking smell.

The plant also has singular flower heads perched at the top of the stalk, with several small, bright yellow petals forming a cluster.

You can eradicate common ragwort by pulling the plant from the ground (before it seeds) and burning it or disposing of it inside a tightly sealed plastic bag.

In case of widespread infestation, you can deploy chemical herbicides.

9. Creeping buttercup

Creeping buttercup is a common weed with yellow flowers, which grows in gardens, woodlands, borders, and other areas with wet soil. It is an attractive plant but highly invasive due to its fast-spreading runners.

Creeping buttercup produces hairy leaves divided into three lobes at the top of the plant’s stalk. It also has bright yellow flowers with five to seven petals. You can also distinguish the plant by how it spreads on the ground through runners.

You can eliminate creeping buttercup by pulling it from the ground. However, if the weed is well established, you might need chemical herbicides to eradicate it effectively.

10. Common sow thistle

The common sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus) is a flowering plant native to Europe and Asia but widespread in North America. It usually grows in crop fields and other disturbed areas.

The plant is pretty beneficial – forage for animals, pollination, and even cuisine (leaves are edible). However, it is highly invasive and can lower crop production on agricultural land.

Common sow thistle has smooth, erect thick stems, which produce a milky sap when cut. Its leaves are a bluish-green, with a smooth surface and lightly toothed margin.

During flower season, it blooms singular flowerheads (very similar to those of dandelions), with bright yellow petals forming a cluster at the tip of the stem. You can control the plant through chemical herbicides such as 2,4-D.

11. Lesser celandine

Lesser celandine (Ficaria Verna) is a low-growing flowering plant in the buttercup family. It is native to Europe and Asia but also widespread in North America.

It is sometimes grown as an ornamental plant but is highly invasive and can overcrowd other vegetation. It usually grows in gardens, lawns, roadsides, fields, and other natural areas.

Lesser celandine is a low-growing plant that forms a mat on the ground. It has relatively long stalks, which grow in clusters of about four to ten stems. It also produces glossy-green heart-shaped leaves and small, bright yellow flowers that bloom in spring.

Lesser celandine is very hard to control once it establishes itself. You can try to remove the plant from the ground before it flowers – by digging by hand or shovel. However, systemic herbicides such as glyphosate are the most effective eradication.

12. Common purslane

Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea), also known as little hogweed, is an annual plant widespread across Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

It grows in various habitats, from landscapes to gardens, lawns, and crop fields. Some people consider it beneficial because its leaves are edible – either cooked or eaten raw. However, it is fast-spreading and easily overwhelms other vegetation, such as in crop fields.

Common purslane has smooth, glossy, and fleshy-appearing green leaves with red margins. The leaves, which form a teardrop shape, are attached to the stems without a stalk and form clusters of four leaflets at the top.

The stems grow close to the ground, forming a dense mat. The plant also produces yellow flowers (either individually or in clusters), which bloom from May to September.

You can control common purslane by pulling it from the ground and disposing of it in sealed bags. You can also use cultural control means such as mulching or solarization.

You can consider herbicides such as benefin, dithiopyr, and trifluralin if you prefer chemical control.

13. Cypress spurge

Cyprus spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias) is a flowering plant with yellow flowers native to Europe. However, it was introduced to the North American region as an ornamental plant, where it has become widespread.

It commonly grows in grasslands, pastures, meadows, roadsides, and gardens. It is also found in graveyards, the nickname graveyard moss or weed.

Cypress spurge is a relatively low-growing plant, reaching 20 to 40 cm in height. It produces several branched stems, which are covered with narrow green leaves – forming cypress-like foliage.

It also produces small, inconspicuous yellowish-green flowers, which bloom at the end of the stems.

Cypress spurge is fast-growing and spreads through roots and seeds, thus making it hard to control once established. It is also poisonous to animals.

You can try to eradicate it by pulling it from the ground. However, chemical treatment using herbicides such as glyphosate is the most effective solution.

14. Canada goldenrod

Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) is a herbaceous plant native to Canada and USA. It grows in moist to dry fields, swamp areas, clearings, forest edges, orchards, along roadsides, streams, ponds, cultivated fields, and gardens.

It is very beneficial as it provides forage for livestock and attracts insects with its pollen and nectar. However, it is invasive, spreading aggressively through seeds and rhizomes.

Canada goldenrod is a tall growing plant, reaching up to six feet. It has branching stems from where lanceolate (sometimes broadly linear) leaves grow alternatingly. The leaves are hairy on the underside and are prominently toothed on the edges.

The plant also produces branching flowerheads consisting of several bright yellow clustered flowers, forming a pyramid pattern.

You can control the Canada goldenrod by cutting the plant down to the ground before it produces seeds. However, chemical herbicides, such as broadleaf weed killers, are the best control mechanism.

15. Oxalis

Oxalis, also known as wood sorrels, are small weeds with yellow flowers native to North America. They usually grow on lawns, garden areas, and sunny to shady landscapes. They are considered by some people to be ornamental but are very aggressive and can suffocate other plants.

Oxalis weeds have smooth, trifoliate, heart-shaped leaves, which are green in colour (sometimes purplish or brownish-red).

The leaves tend to fold up at night (or under stress, for example, direct sunlight) before opening up in the morning. The plant also produces small yellow flowers with a cup-like shape, which bloom around summer and fall.

You can control oxalis by mulching your garden (prevention) or pulling them from the ground when they sprout. You can also use chemical control (broadleaf herbicides) to eradicate them.

16. Velvetleaf

Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) is an annual broadleaf plant native to Southern Asia. It was introduced into the North American region as a potential fibre crop, only to turn into a weed plant affecting several crops. It usually grows in crop fields, nurseries, gardens, orchards, roadsides, and disturbed land.

Velvetleaf is an upright-growing plant that can reach up to eight feet. It has a stout, hairy stem, on which large, round to heart-shaped leaves emerge in an alternating pattern.

The leaves are also hairy, with a velvety feel, hence the name. In summer, the plant produces yellow flowers with five petals, which can be found in clusters or growing singularly.

You can control the velvetleaf plant by pulling it from the ground. Depending on the growing season, you can also kill the weed with pre- and post-emergent herbicides.

17. John’s-Wort

St John’s-Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a flowering plant native to Eurasia but widespread in North America, South America, Africa, and Australia.

It has been used in folk medicine for centuries and cultivated commercially. However, it has a strong tap root system with creeping rhizomes, which allows it to spread aggressively.

St. John’s-Wort plant has dark green, oblong-shaped leaves with small dark dots. The leaves are stalkless and attach to the stem in an alternating pattern. The plant also produces bright yellow flowers (five petals), which grow from the tip of the stem.

You can control the St. John’s-Wort plant by removing it from the ground by hand before it seeds. You should ensure you dig up the entire root system to prevent it from sprouting. However, if the invasion is widespread, you should use broad-spectrum herbicides such as glyphosate and 2,4-D.

18. Butterweed

Butterweed (Packera Glabella) is a weed plant found in North America’s central and southeastern regions. It usually grows in pastures, meadows, waste areas, and other disturbed areas. It produces a large number of seeds and thus usually grows in clusters.

The Butterweed plant has simple, lanceolate-shaped leaves with smooth margins. They are dark green to greenish-yellow, with the underside being covered with fine hairs. The plant also blooms with yellow, daisy-like flowers, which grow in clusters at the top of the stem.

The deep-rooted tap root system of the butterweed plant makes pulling them from the ground by hard almost impossible. Therefore, the best solution is to spray with systemic herbicides such as glyphosate when the plant is actively growing.

19. Marsh yellowcress

Marsh yellowcress (Rorippa palustris) is a flowering plant part of the mustard family. It is native to Eurasia and North America and usually grows in ponds, small rivers, marshy fields, ditches, and poorly drained crop fields.

Marsh yellowcress leaves start growing in a basal rosette pattern and are often oblong-shaped. As the plant matures, the leaves become deeply lobbed and grow from the stem in an alternating pattern.

Each leaflet has several pairs of irregularly toothed leaflets. The plant also produces flowers, which develop at the tip of the stems or the leaf axils. The flowers are small, yellow, and consist of four petals.

You can remove marsh yellowcress plants from the ground by hand as long as you remove the entire root system to keep it from sprouting. You can also use systemic herbicides to eradicate the infestation completely.

20. Skeletonweed

Skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea) is a flowering plant native to Europe, North Africa, and Asia but commonly found in several temperate regions worldwide.

It is hardy, with a deep tap root system, which allows it to survive harsh environments and spread. It can also easily invade cultivated fields, landscapes, flower beds, and even lawns.

Skeletonweed is a tall growing plant, reaching up to 5 feet in height (with its taproot growing up to 7 feet deep). When sprouting, the leaves form a basal rosette pattern, which is deeply toothed, with the lobes bending backwards.

However, as the plant matures, it produces branching stems with very few leaves. However, it produces several small, bright yellow flowers, which form clusters in singular or grouped flowerheads.

Due to how deep the roots of the Skeletonweed plant grow, mechanical removal is impossible.

Instead, the best way to eradicate the weed is by applying systemic herbicides such as dicamba, 2,4-D, glyphosate, and others. You might need several applications of herbicides to kill the plant completely.

Conclusion

Are you looking to identify weeds with yellow flowers? You can come across several types of weeds that bloom yellow flowers, whether in your lawn, garden, crop fields, or other areas near your property.

The above are some of the most common weeds you need to be aware of. Despite some of these weeds appearing beneficial, they are quite invasive and can be hard to control if left unchecked.

Fortunately, with the above information, you can easily identify them and choose the best solution for eradication.

More Guides

• 7 plants that look like chamomile
• 10 common weeds with purple flowers
• 20 weeds with huge leaves
• 10 common weeds in New England and removal tips

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 20 common weeds with yellow flowers appeared first on InsightWeeds.

Below, we have compiled a detailed New England weeds identification guide. It covers some of the most common types of weeds found in the area, how to identify them, and how to eradicate them.

The most common weeds you can find in the New England area include:

1. Poison Ivy

Poison ivy is a weed plant that is part of the Sumac family. It is a common weed that is native to the New England region. It grows in several habitats – gardens, landscapes, lawns, roadsides, river banks, and woodland edges, among others – that have partial shade to full sun.

Furthermore, the plant is highly adaptive and can grow in various soil conditions, from moist to dry and impoverished soils.

Poison ivy weed is easily identified by its leaves; it has three leaflets, with the middle being more prominent than the other two.

When the plant matures, the leaves are dull to glossy green, turning reddish-green in spring and bright orange, red, or yellow in fall.

Another distinctive feature of poison ivy is the small, yellow-green flowers that sprout in spring. On top of that, the plant produces green berries, which turn light grey or whitish when they ripen.

When it comes to eradicating poison ivy, there are three techniques you can use, the first one being pulling the plant manually.

Secondly, homemade weed killers such as vinegar mixed with a dish soap solution can be effective.

Lastly, you can use chemical herbicides such as glyphosate, which can penetrate the entire plant to the root, killing it altogether.

2. Oxalis

Oxalis or yellow woodsorrel is a perennial weed common in New England, especially in Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Islands, and others.

It usually grows in gardens, waste areas, fields, landscape areas, and even lawns.

Oxalis is an upright-growing weed plant with slightly hairy stems. The stems have an alternate leaf arrangement, with smooth-edged, compound leaves that are green in colour.

The plant also produces five-petalled flowers, which can sprout in clusters. Oxalis is also known for its okra-shaped fruits, which split open when ripe.

You can control oxalis weed by pulling the plant if the invasion is widespread. You should, however, ensure that it does not produce fruit, as scattered seeds will germinate into new plants, worsening the infestation.

Another effective way of controlling oxalis is through chemical herbicides. Glyphosate herbicides such as Roundup are especially effective at killing the plant.

However, when the weed grows on lawns, you should use selective pre- and post-emergent chemical weed killers.

3. Dandelion

Dandelion is a perennial herbaceous plant that is native to the Europe region but very common in North America, especially the New England area.

Some people consider them beneficial due to their attractive flowers that improve curb appeal while promoting pollination.

However, the plant develops a deep taproot system, which makes it extremely hard to eradicate once it establishes itself.

You can identify the dandelion weed plant by its low-growing trait, with rosette leaves that grow directly from the base of the plant. It also has conspicuous yellow flowers, which grow on hollow stalks.

These flowers mature into seed heads with a fuzzy structure that holds the seeds, thus allowing them to be quickly scattered by the wind.

You can get rid of dandelions through a selection of techniques. The first one is pulling the weeds from the soil.

However, it would help if you only did this when the ground is wet to ensure you pull out the entire root system. Secondly, you can use natural weed killers such as vinegar or dish soap.

Chemical herbicides, however, are the most effective when it comes to killing dandelions.

You should target the weed plant when it is young before the seed heads develop and the plant starts scattering seeds.

It would be best to use a selective broadleaf herbicide, especially when dandelions grow on lawns.

4. Crabgrass

Crabgrass is one of the most common lawn weeds in New England. It is native to Eurasia but has spread worldwide, including in North America.

The grass reproduces through seeds and tillering, with a single plant producing up to 150,000 seeds and 700 tillers. It is thus a very aggressive weed, which can be a nuisance to eradicate.

Crabgrass is a very distinctive weed, especially when growing on lawns. It is a fast-growing grassy weed that has coarse, yellowish-green leaves.

The leaves are large and grow from the stems before branching outwards. As the plant matures, the stems fall, creating a star-like pattern from the middle.

You can get rid of crabgrass by pulling it from the soil. You can do this using your hands, but it is advisable to use a digging tool to ensure you extract the entire plant.

Another way of controlling crabgrass is to keep your lawn healthy, thus preventing weeds from growing.

Lastly, you can use special chemical herbicides such as Tenacity for Turf to eradicate the weed.

5. Common ragweed

Common ragweed (short ragweed) is an annual weed plant native to North America. You can find it throughout various New England areas such as Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Rhode Island.

The weed plant usually grows in cultivated areas, roadsides, fields, and other disturbed soils. It is a highly invasive plant due to its prolific production of seeds, which help sprout new plants.

Common ragweed has fern-like, green, feathery leaves, with both lobed and teethed leaf blade edges. The leaves are arranged in an alternate pattern. The plant also produces long, green flowers that turn yellowish over time.

Ragweed is best eradicated using chemical herbicides. Post-emergent week killers such as 2,4,D are very effective at controlling the weed.

These herbicides are also selective, which makes them ideal when the plant has invaded areas with other beneficial plants.

However, if you are not worried about destroying other plants, you can use non-selective herbicides such as glyphosate.

6. Bittersweet

Bittersweet (also known as oriental bittersweet) is an ornamental climbing vine native to Asia but a common sight in New England.

The plant usually grows on roadsides, fields, woodland areas, and abandoned sites and properties. It blooms in the autumn and is loved by many people due to its attractive leaves, flowers, and fruits, which completely change the landscape.

However, it is also a highly invasive plant, which can be quite destructive to other beneficial plants in the area.

Oriental bittersweet has round leaves with toothed edges, which form an alternate pattern from the step. The leaves are bright green, and so are the stems.

However, the leaves start turning yellow as the plant matures and summer approaches. By autumn, the leaves achieve a distinctive bright yellow colour, with the stems turning reddish-brown.

The plant also sprouts tiny yellow flowers from where orange berries bloom.

Oriental bittersweet is one of New England’s most difficult weeds to control and eradicate. The best way to deal with the weed is to pull young plants before they mature and form thick bushes.

If the infestation is widespread, you can repeatedly cut down the plant near the ground. Alternatively, you can use systemic chemical herbicides to kill the plant completely.

7. Stinging nettle

Stinging nettle (also known as common nettle or burn nettle) is a weed native to New England and other parts of North America and the world.

Historically, the plant was used as a source of food, beverage, medicine, and even raw material for textiles.

However, it is a highly invasive weed with a deep rhizome root system and stolons, which help it spread far and wide.

Stinging nettle is a tall-growing plant that can reach up to 2 meters high. It has soft, green leaves with serrated edges and an acute tip.

The leaves grow from upright green stems with several defensive stinging hairs. The plant blooms with small, greenish, or brownish flowers (which can sometimes be yellow if the flower is male).

You can try controlling the stinging nettle by pulling the plant from the ground. However, this is a massive task as you must uproot the entire plant – including the roots, or else it will produce new shoots.

On top of that, the stinging hairs on the leaves and stems make it difficult to handle. You need to use gardening gloves and a long-sleeved shirt to avoid injuries.

A simpler alternative is systemic herbicides such as glyphosate, which can penetrate the entire plant from the leaves to the roots, killing it completely.

8. Herb Robert

Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) is a weed plant native to Europe but pretty common in the North American region, specifically in New England. It is a flowering plant that usually grows in woodland areas, grasslands, hedgerows, and coastal areas.

Herb Robert is a tall growing plant which can reach up to 50 cm high. It has reddish, hairy stems and dark green, palmate leaves that are deeply dissected.

The plant produces small, bright pink flowers, which form a star-like pattern with their petals.

Herb Robert has a shallow root structure; thus, you can easily control it by pulling the plants out of the soil.

However, you should do so before the plant matures and produces seeds, as it can release several seeds leading to widespread infestation.

You can use systemic weed killers such as glyphosate if you prefer chemical herbicides. However, due to its non-selective nature, you should only spot and treat weeds when growing in areas with beneficial vegetation.

9. White clover

White clover is a perennial broadleaf plant native to Europe but widespread in North America, including New England. It commonly grows in lawns, gardens, landscapes, and other areas with partial shade.

You can identify white clover by its leaves and flowers. It has trifoliate lobed leaves, which form at the top of smooth branching stems.

During the flowering season, the plant produces small, white flowers (sometimes purplish), which bloom in clusters.

You can control white clover through cultural techniques such as mulching your gardens and keeping your lawn healthy and strong.

You can also pull the weed plants from the ground by where they start to sprout. Another technique is using chemical herbicides such as dicamba and fluroxypyr, which are very effective at eradicating the plant.

10. Ground elder

Ground elder is a fast-growing perennial plant native to Europe but widespread throughout North America. It is usually found in gardens, growing beds, lawns (especially new ones), and borders.

It is an aggressive plant that can spread quickly using its rhizome root system, thus overwhelming other vegetation.

Ground elder usually sprouts from rhizomes and starts growing as small shoots with dark green leaves in late spring and early summer.

The shoots soon develop into tall stalks, from where variegated leaves form. Numerous flower heads bloom at the top of these stalks, creating an umbrella-like pattern. These flowers are similar to the elder plant, hence the weed’s name.

Ground elder is hard to eradicate once it establishes itself, as new plants will sprout from even the smallest rhizomes.

You can try pulling young plants out of the soil by hand and consistently monitoring the area for new shoots.

However, the best way to control the plant is using herbicides, particularly systemic herbicides such as glyphosate, that can kill the entire plant structure.

Conclusion

Are you looking to identify weeds in the New England area? The above are some of the most common weed plants in the region.

Most are very aggressive, which can be a nightmare to get rid of once they establish themselves.

However, with the above information, you can find out the weeds you are dealing with and deploy appropriate measures to eradicate them.

Related

• Most common weeds with thorns
• List of weeds you’ll find in Virginia
• Most common lawn weeds with scientific names

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 common weeds in New England and removal tips appeared first on InsightWeeds.

Weeds are everyone’s nightmare; some are highly invasive and can easily overwhelm other crops or grass.

Unfortunately, most of them are also pretty hard to eliminate and can keep coming back.

However, if you know what weeds you are dealing with, you can have an easier time getting rid of them.

You must identify the weeds to know the best eradication technique to use. One of the easiest ways to identify weeds is by photo and other characteristics that stand out.

These are the 10 most common weeds with white flowers and how you can identify and get rid of them:

1. White clover

White clover is the most common among lawn weeds that have white flowers. It is a herbaceous perennial plant native to Central Asia, Europe, and the British Isles.

However, it can also be found in several parts of the world, including North America.

White clover has trifoliate (three oval-shaped) leaves and distinctive white (sometimes pink) flowers that form a cluster-like arrangement.

It is also a creeping plant, which uses stolons to spread, forming a mat-like coverage on the ground. White clover is aggressive and can be hard to eradicate when it takes hold.

However, there are a few techniques you can use. The first one is to pull it by hand or with digging tools. You can also use homemade weed killers such as vinegar and dish soap.

Lastly, you can use selective herbicides, for example, those containing dicamba, quinclorac, clopyralid, and fluroxypyr.

2. Bindweed

Bindweed is a perennial field weed native to Europe but also very common throughout North America. It is a climbing weed with thin, thread-like vines that grow around plants and other erect objects.

It has arrowhead-shaped leaves and trumpet-shaped white (sometimes pink) flowers. Bindweed is hard to eliminate due to its large and resilient root system.

Therefore, pulling it by hand might not work. Instead, you should use organic methods such as vinegar, dish soap solutions, and boiling water.

You can also use chemical herbicides such as glyphosate and dicamba.

3. Yarrow

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a flowering weed plant native to North America, Asia, and Europe. It is a common sight around fence rows, open forests, meadows, lawns, gardens, and yards.

Yarrow has trifoliate leaves with a smooth surface and an egg-like shape. It is a herbaceous plant with stems that function as stolons.

You can also identify the plant by its little white flowers in the grass, which form a cluster arrangement and rise above the leaves.

Yarrow is a resilient plant that is hard to eliminate. However, you can kill it using selective herbicides such as triclopyr or dicamba.

You can also use non-selective weed killers such as glyphosate, but at the risk of killing other plants.

4. White nettle

White nettle (also known as white dead nettle) is a flowering plant native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa.

However, it is now found worldwide, including in North America. It commonly grows on roadsides, waste areas, woodlands, and even gardens with fertile soils.

White nettle is a tall-growing weed plant with green, four-angled stems. It produces broad, triangular-shaped leaves with soft hairs, serrated margins, and a rounded base. It also produces white flowers on the upper part of the stem.

There are two effective techniques for getting rid of white nettle. The first one is homemade remedies such as vinegar, boiling water, dishwasher soap, etc.

The second is to use systemic herbicides such as glyphosate, which can target and kill the entire plant.

5. Black nightshade

Black nightshade is a flowering weed plant, which is native to Europe, parts of Africa, North and South America, Asia, and Australian regions.

The plant usually grows in dump areas, under tree shades, in woody areas, near quarries, and old ruins. However, it can also be found in gardens, either as a cultivated plant or having invaded the fertile soil.

Black nightshade is a perennial shrub that can grow up to more than a meter high. It has broad, heart-shaped leaves, which can have a wavy or toothed margin.

The leaves are hairy on both the upper and bottom surfaces. The plant also produces small white flowers with yellow anthers and green berries that turn dark when they ripen.

You can eliminate black nightshade using mechanical weed control methods such as pulling by hand (or digging tools) or mowing.

However, chemical herbicides such as glyphosate will be effective if dealing with a persistent infestation.

6. Daisy weeds

Daisy weeds are flowering plants native to Europe and Asian regions but have spread worldwide, including the Americas and Australia.

They are among the most common lawns and grass weeds in various areas, from neglected grasses to properly managed lawn turfs.

Daisy weeds have spoon-shaped, dark green leaves with a smooth surface. However, their most unique feature is their flowers – the plant produces solitary flowers with yellow inner florets.

While daisies are considered flowers by most people, they are pretty aggressive and can spread easily through their rhizome root system.

However, you can control them using various techniques. For example, pulling by hand or digging tools is effective when you have a few plants.

You can also use selective herbicides such as 2,4-D, dicamba, or triclopyr when dealing with a large infestation.

7. Dandelions

Dandelions are another common weed found in lawns, gardens, fields, forests, wastelands, etc. It is native to Europe and Asia but widespread in other regions such as North America.

The plant is easily identifiable by its basal rosette leaves, which have widely spaced teethed edges. It also produces white or yellow blooms, which grow on a single, hollow stem.

You can eliminate dandelion weeds by mowing your lawn during the flowering stage. Frequent pulling by hands or special tools can also eliminate small infestations.

However, chemical herbicides are more effective when dealing with a huge invasion of dandelions. These include pre and post-emergent herbicides and selective lawn weed killers.

8. Common chickweed

Common chickweed is a low-spreading perennial weed plant native to Europe but widespread in most regions. It primarily grows in fields, gardens, nurseries, lawns, and turf grass.

While low-spreading, common chickweed has erect stems with leaves growing opposite to each other along the stem.

The leaves are broad and egg-shaped, with pointy tips. The weed also produces showy, white flowers with five deeply cut petals at the end of each stem.

Common chickweed has shallow roots and thus can be eliminated by pulling or digging with a shovel or other tools.

However, chemical herbicides such as selective weed killers for lawns are ideal when dealing with several weeds. You can also spot-treat with non-selective herbicides, which risk killing other plants.

9. Thorn apple

Thorn apple, also known as Datura stramonium or jimsonweed, is another weed with white flowers. It is also one of the most popular weeds with thorns.

The weed is native to Central America but has spread over several regions. It commonly grows in disturbed soils, river banks, agricultural fields, and gardens.

Thorn apple has thick erect stems, which branch off repeatedly from where leaves and flowers grow.

The leaves are large, have a smooth surface, and a toothed margin. The plant blooms trumpet-shaped white flowers that have a pleasant odor.

It also has conspicuous green, egg-shaped seed capsules covered with spikes – hence the name thorn apple.

You can eliminate thorn apples by pulling or digging out the entire plant. If you decide to pull, make sure to use proper gardening gloves to protect you from its thorns.

However, you should dispose of it entirely by burning or burying it in plastic wrap if it has produced seeds.

Use broad-spectrum chemical herbicides to kill the plant, but take care not to spray other crops.

10. Henbit weed

Henbit weed is another popular type of weed those blooms white (sometimes purple) flowers. It is common in Europe, South America, North America, Asian regions, and Australia.

You can find it growing in lawns, gardens, waste areas, crop fields, roadsides, pastures, etc. Henbit weed has a square-shaped stem, from where scalloped, heart-shaped leaves emerge.

The lower leaves grow from the stem in a petal formation, while the upper leaves are directly attached. Flowers (white or purplish) are grown at the top of each branch.

You can eradicate henbit weed using natural remedies such as pulling by hand or applying vinegar, corn gluten meal, and dish soap solution.

You can also use chemical herbicides such as selective lawn herbicides, for example, roundup for lawns.

Conclusion

Are you dealing with unidentified weeds with white flowers on your lawn, garden, crop field, or property?

The above are some of the most common weeds that have white flowers. Included is information on where they are likely to grow, identifying features, and effective solutions you can use to eradicate them.

Related Guides

• Common weeds with pink flowers
• Weeds that look like small trees
• Is bamboo the tallest grass?
• Types of weeds with burrs
• List of common weeds with scientific names

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 common weeds with white flowers appeared first on InsightWeeds.

As a result, many people spend a lot of time and money eradicating weeds from their gardens, lawns, backyards, and around their properties.

However, not all weeds are bad. On the contrary, some can be beneficial; for example, some are edibles, while others are excellent flowering plants.

Furthermore, some can have medicinal properties and several other benefits.

There are 7 common weeds that produce pink flowers:

1. Mallow

Mallow weed, or common mallow (Malva neglecta) as it is known, is one of the most widespread weeds you will come across.

It is an annual broadleaf weed commonly found in lawns, gardens, nurseries, and poorly maintained landscapes.

Mallow weed has bright green leaves with hairy stems. It typically grows by spreading but can grow upright in favourable conditions. It also produces flowers, which are light pink or white.

The weed is considered invasive as it has a robust taproot system, which guarantees its survival even under harsh conditions.

While mallow is a weed plant, it also has several beneficial properties. You can forage it for its medicinal properties, particularly the roots that have anti-inflammatory benefits.

Mallow is also edible (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits). It is highly nutritious, rich in vitamin A, B, and C, and contains calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

2. Clover

Clover (Trifolium ssp.) is a perennial wild flowering plant. It is commonly found in lawns and flower beds and is regarded as a weed as it is invasive in poorly maintained areas.

It is also hard to eradicate since it can easily survive mowing and some types of herbicides. Clovers are easy to identify as it is one of the few weeds with small pink flowers you will come across.

The flowers bloom around early spring and form a cluster that appears like a small ball of light pink petals. The plant also has three-lobbed leaves, which are petal-shaped.

While finding a clover plant in your garden or lawn can be concerning, the plant does offer several benefits.

First, it is a flowering plant that can provide a nice appearance to your landscape. It is also a good source of nectar and can help pollinate your crops.

Lastly, clover is a nitrogen-fixing plant that enriches the soil and has a deep root system, preventing soil erosion.

If these benefits are nothing compared to the damage this plant has done to your lawn, follow these clover removal techniques.

3. Joe Pye weed

Joe Pye weed is among the most common tall weeds with pink flowers. You can quickly identify it by its towering size, with the plant reaching up to 7 feet or more.

Its flowers (which can also bloom in shades of purple and white) have a pleasant vanilla-like scent.

Some people consider the Joe Pye plant a weed as it has thick and deep rhizomes that help it spread. It also produces many seeds, which can scatter far.

However, the plant has several benefits. It is attractive and, therefore, a good ornamental plant that will help brighten your landscape.

Joe Pye provides nectar for bees and pollen to wildlife. You can also use it to provide shade for your plants.

4. Dead nettle

Dead nettle is a type of herbaceous flowering plant. It has green, nettle-like leaves with serrated edges and an arrow tip.

Non-stinging hairs on the bottom part also cover the leaves. It blooms beautiful flowers, which can appear in pink, red, and purple shades.

Dead nettle is considered an invasive weed plant, as it can produce several thousand seeds, which will easily overwhelm other plants or grasses.

However, it offers several benefits, making it worthwhile to cultivate. For example, its pink flowers and silvery leaves are quite attractive.

It is also edible and foraged for its leaves, which taste similar to spinach when cooked.

5. Herb Robert

Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) is an annual or biennial flowering plant. It is a tall-growing plant – reaching up to 50 cm high – producing small, pink flowers.

The flowers, which have five petals, bloom around spring up to late summer and start of autumn. Herb Robert is considered a weed as it is a highly invasive plant.

It produces many seeds scattered far and wide by wind, wildlife, pets, and human beings. However, it is cultivated in some areas for its medicinal properties.

In folk medicine, it treats diarrhoea, toothaches, and nose bleeds. Furthermore, you can use the plant’s leaves as an insect repellent by crushing them and rubbing them over your body.

6. Dove’s-foot crane’s-bill

Dove’s foot crane’s-bill is a type of lawn weed with pink flowers. It has round-shaped leaves, which are slightly hairy.

Its flowers bloom from around spring to late summer and can vary in colour from shades of pink to purple.

Doves-foot cranes-bill usually invades poorly maintained lawns with poor soils.

It is quite invasive, with deep fibrous root systems that make it hard to eradicate. However, it is cultivated by some people for its medicinal benefits.

It is particularly helpful in treating external injuries and sores. Its extract is also useful in winemaking, which is said to help with gout and joint pains.

7. Rosebay willowherb

Rosebay willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium) is a perennial herbaceous plant. It is known by several local names, such as great willowherb, bomb weed, or fireweed.

You can identify it by its tall reddish stems (which can reach up to 2.5 meters high) and bright pink flowers.

Rosebay willowherb is an invasive plant that can spread far wide through its root system. As a result, it can easily take over large areas of poorly maintained landscapes.

However, it also does offer several benefits. To start with, it is an ornamental plant that can improve the curb appeal of your property.

It also provides pollen to wildlife and nectar to bees, which in turn help to pollinate other crops.

Conclusion

Having weeds invade your garden, lawn, or backyard can be worrying. However, the above weeds with pink flowers are not all that bad.

While they are invasive and can be pretty hard to eliminate, they come with several benefits ranging from medicinal and ornamental to edible.

Therefore, you can let them grow or even deliberately cultivate them.

Related Guides

• Weeds that look like small trees 
• Weeds that look like tomato plants
• List of weeds that look like rhubarb

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 7 common weeds with pink flowers appeared first on InsightWeeds.