Weeds are usually wild plants that grow in unwanted areas. Most are aggressive and can easily overwhelm other plants such as grass, flowers, and food crops.
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 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.