Lawn Weeds

Broad leaves and medium sized yellow flowers help identify dandelions, probably the most common lawn weed problem. This brief overview presents some very common, low growing lawn weeds with small flowers.

Creeping charlie (Glechoma hederacea), pictured above, also known as ground ivy, thrives in shady areas on lawns.

It is especially problematic because the stems continuously grow out, seeming to creep across the lawn.

Often borax is suggested as an organic remedy for removing the week. However, borax is not biodegradable, and can stay in the soil, inhibiting all growth, including grass, for year.

Hand pulling the plant's shallow roots is a good short term remedy, however, the plant is so hardy that leaving any part in the ground allows for regrowth later in the season.

Birdseye Speedwell (Veronica persica), a member of the figwort family (Schrophulariaceae), ranks as quite an adaptable plant. Most botanical histories trace its movement from East Asia to Europe in the early nineteenth century.

It spread to grasslands throughout much of the Continent, carrying the name, common field speedwell.

Introduced to the United States, is now finds a home in yards and fields from coast to coast. Small flowers (less than 1/2" in diameter) typically indicate its presence.

Dovefoot Geranium (Geranium molle), also known as Crane's Bill Geranium and Woodland Geranium is a common east coast and west coast lawn and garden weed.

Large round leaves eclipse the plant's small purple flower in size.

A shallow root system, makes hand removal of the plant and root the preferred organic remedy.

Redstem Filaree (Erodium cicutarium), another geranium family species, grows in most areas of North America.

Removal can be as easy as pulling up the roots when the soil is moist and loose for homeowners who consider the plant an unwanted guest in their lawns or gardens.

Farmers consider the plant an agriculture pest because of its ability to overtake large areas of land, thereby reducing crop productivity.

Common Chickweed (Stellaria media), an introduced plant in the Pink family (Caryophyllaceae), can be found on lawns throughout the United States.

Like many plants with the weed label, it grows well anywhere that grass grows. The white flowers, much smaller in size than the picture, are early bloomers.

It is considered a nuisance plant rather than a problematic ecosystem disrupter. Pulling is the advised removal technique for homeowners concerned with its presence in lawns and gardens.

Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), a small flowering plant in the Primrose family (Primulaceae), was introduced from Europe

It's now found in sandy soils, and lawns with sandy soils, across the United States. The orange flowers are small and the plant is not known to be an overly aggressive lawn grower.

Pulling is the recommended organic remedy in areas where it is not welcome.

The extensive root system of Bindwind (Convolvulus arvensis), also called wild morning glory, makes it a problematic lawn and garden weed.

Bindwind also causes problems in the agriculture sectors because of its adverse effect on grazing animals when consumed.

A variety of organic remedies exist for control of bindweed in residential lawns.

Tilling the soil and pulling the weeds might be effective for small patches of ground with established plants. Other remedies such as solarization and spraying vinegar solutions show promise for treating larger areas.

Fiddleneck (Amsinckia), a western genus of flowers in the Forget-Me-Not Family (Boraginaceae), get identified by the presence of their orange flowers, rather than the traditional blue and/or white flowers associated with the family.

Thin stems with multiple flowers describe most species. The weight of the flowers bends the stem, giving it an appearance resembling the top of a fiddle.

Fiddleneck species are known to be toxic to domestic grazing animals and often for that reason they are categorized as weeds, despite their being native plants.

The top picture shows a Rigid Fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii), also called Menzies' fiddleneck.

© 2008-2012 Patricia A. Michaels