Also known as gripeweed, shatter stone, and stonebreaker, chamberbitter is one of the most persistent threats to a lawn. Once this broadleaf weed sprouts, it’s just a matter of time before it scatters seeds and proliferates.
Even experienced gardeners consider chamberbitter challenging to get rid of, as this weed can resist common herbicides. So, you must learn everything about this fast-growing weed to easily identify and prevent it from damaging your lawn.
Characteristics of chamberbitter
Phyllanthus is notorious because it’s not easy to eliminate. In fact, some experts label it as the most difficult weed to control. As Christian M. Baldwin, an assistant professor at Mississippi State University, said, “chamberbitter control is often unreliable because it germinates later in the spring than most summer annual weeds.”
To determine if you have a chamberbitter (Phyllanthus urinaria) invasion in your lawn, you must first know what to look for. Here are some of its characteristics:
Plant type: Broadleaf weed
USDA hardiness zone: 6-11
Growth habit: Grows in an upright position — tall and thin
Mature size: The short variety can reach up to 12 inches tall, while the long-stalked chamberbitter can grow up to 2 feet.
Duration: Annual
Leaves: The flat leaves grow alternately and their shape varies from round to oval.
Flowers: It produces small, greenish-white flowers on the underside of its leaves.
Fruits: Its wart-like fruits can produce a lot of seeds.
Soil pH: 6-7.5
Soil type: Grows well in warm, well-drained, moist, loamy, or sandy soil
Habitat: It thrives in various environments, including lawns, dry fields, wastelands, roadsides
Potential hazards: Toxic to both animals and humans
This weed, which also goes by the name leaf flower, has toxins that can cause harm to animals, especially to cats. Depending on the type of contact, the symptoms can range from mild to severe, where ingestion does the most harm.
Additionally, leaf flowers produce toxic juices that can irritate your skin and eyes. Even their fruits, which become red or greenish red when matured, are poisonous. So, be cautious when handling this weed, and always wear protective gloves when hand-pulling it.
Note: Chamberbitter is sometimes called “Little Mimosa” since it has leaves similar to those of a mimosa plant. Because of this feature, it’s easy to identify the weed by just looking at its leaves.
How can chamberbitter damage your lawn?
Chamberbitter can produce flowers in just two weeks, shattering the fruits when they reach maturity and scattering the seeds in the process. Since its flowers are small, they’re not easily noticeable. However, they can pack a punch when they’re infiltrating lawns.
Unless you want your lawn to resemble the ground of a rainforest, you’ll find it frustrating when gripeweed invades it. Some of the damages this annual broadleaf weed can do to your lawn include:
1. Turn your lawn into an eyesore
The most obvious damage a gripeweed can do to your lawn is make it look unkempt. This is a big deal since one of the main reasons we want a healthy and lush lawn is for aesthetics. If left alone, this weed can grow higher than your grass.
2. Deprive your grasses of sunlight
With chamberbitter being a broadleaf weed, it can act like a canopy that blocks the sunlight. The grass underneath will eventually weaken because it’s unable to process its food through photosynthesis. If left untreated, the deterioration can further spiral down and kill your grasses.
3. Infest and dominate your grasses
One of the reasons for this weed’s persistence is its ability to adjust its height. For instance, if you have centipedegrass and you mow your lawn up to 2 inches, gripeweed also can try to keep its height within the same level or lower.
Since it’s no longer standing out, gripeweed can spread its seeds easily. And before you know it, it has already overrun a large part of your lawn. This weed will compete with the soil nutrients intended for your grass and eventually starve them out.
FAQ about chamberbitter
How do lawn care pros get rid of chamberbitter?
Lawn care experts usually go through a combination of the following options for getting rid of chamberbitter:
- Hand-pulling
- Mulching
- Using pre-emergent herbicides
- Applying post-emergent herbicides
Note: Even if you pull gripeweed by the roots, there’s a good chance it could break, allowing it to make a quick comeback in just a matter of days. That’s why, when hand-pulling this weed, it’s best to do it while it’s still young. Once it matures, it will have developed a taproot, making it more difficult to pull. When this happens, you can moisten the soil first.
Does chamberbitter close at night?
Yes, the leaves of gripeweed close at night. While it looks like a mimosa plant (whose leaves close every time someone touches them), its leaves only close after sundown.
How much does professional weed control cost?
Depending on the severity of the weed invasion, you can expect to spend anywhere from $65 to $165 for professional weed control.
Leave the most challenging weed to the experts
Chamberbitter certainly lives up to its reputation, resisting pre-emergent and common herbicides. However, it can be controlled and prevented if the task is left to the experts. So, as soon as you identify a chamberbitter invasion in your lawn, the best course of action is to hire a local lawn care pro who can help stop this weed from spreading.
Main Image Credit: Renjusplace | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0
