- What are weeds?<\/a><\/li>
- Types of weeds by leaf shape and life cycle<\/a><\/li>
- Top 32 most common types of weeds<\/a>
- 1. Annual bluegrass (Poa annua)<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Black medic (Medicago lupulina)<\/a><\/li>
- 3. Broadleaf plantain (Plantago major)<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Burweed (Soliva sessilis)<\/a><\/li>
- 5. Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)<\/a><\/li>
- 6. Clover (Trifolium repens)<\/a><\/li>
- 7. Common chickweed (Stellaria media)<\/a><\/li>
- 8. Crabgrass (Digitaria)<\/a><\/li>
- 9. Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea)<\/a><\/li>
- 10. Curly dock (Rumex crispus)<\/a><\/li>
- 11. Dandelions (Leontodon taraxacum)<\/a><\/li>
- 12. English daisy (Bellis perennis)<\/a><\/li>
- 13. Florida betony (Stachys floridana)<\/a><\/li>
- 14. Goosegrass (Eleusine indica)<\/a><\/li>
- 15. Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta)<\/a><\/li>
- 16. Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule)<\/a><\/li>
- 17. Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum)<\/a><\/li>
- 18. Kyllinga (Kyllinga brevifolius)<\/a><\/li>
- 19. Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album)<\/a><\/li>
- 20. Mallow (Malva neglecta)<\/a><\/li>
- 21. Nutsedge (Cyperus spp.)<\/a><\/li>
- 22. Orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)<\/a><\/li>
- 23. Quackgrass (Elymus repens)<\/a><\/li>
- 24. Poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix)<\/a><\/li>
- 25. Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)\u00a0<\/a><\/li>
- 26. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)<\/a><\/li>
- 27. Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)<\/a><\/li>
- 28. Spiny pigweed (Amaranthus spinosus)<\/a><\/li>
- 29. Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica)<\/a><\/li>
- 30. Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti)<\/a><\/li>
- 31. Wild violet (Viola papilionacea)<\/a><\/li>
- 32. Woodsorrel (Oxalis stricta)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- FAQ about common types of weeds<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
What are weeds?<\/span><\/h2>
Weeds are plants that grow where you don\u2019t want them, have unpleasant characteristics (such as spines or a toxic touch), or smother planted areas such as lawns, gardens, and agricultural fields.<\/p>
Not all weeds are inherently bad. Some are edible or medicinal, many are precious food for pollinators and other insects, and some enrich the soil, loosen compacted areas, or fix terrains prone to erosion. But there are also invasive and toxic weeds that you shouldn\u2019t allow in your yard, even in small numbers.<\/p>
The first step in knowing your weeds and deciding how to manage them is learning a bit about the weed types in your lawn, their characteristics, and life cycles.<\/p>
Types of weeds by leaf shape and life cycle<\/span><\/h2>
Depending on the shape of their leaves, weeds are divided into two categories: grassy and broadleaf.<\/a><\/p>
Grassy weeds<\/strong> sprout from the seed with one leaf and have long, narrow blades with parallel veins (similar to turfgrass). To identify grassy weeds<\/a> in your lawn, look for patches with taller plants, a lighter or deeper green, or grass blades with different shapes and textures. <\/p>
Common examples of grassy weeds include crabgrass, goosegrass, annual bluegrass, and creeping bentgrass.<\/p>
Broadleaf weeds<\/strong><\/a> emerge from the seed with two seed leaves. These weeds come in various shapes and sizes but generally have broad leaves with netted veins that branch out from a central vein. They also stand out through their colorful flowers and deep tap roots. <\/p>
Common broadleaf weeds<\/a> that can grow on your lawn are dandelions, common chickweed, clovers, thistles, and plantains.<\/p>
Weeds also differ by their life cycle and the seasons in which they sprout and thrive. They can be annual, biennial, or perennial plants.<\/p>
Annual weeds<\/strong> have the shortest life cycles. They go from freshly sprouted seedlings to flowering and spreading seeds in less than 12 months. Depending on the season they thrive in, you can deal with two types of annual weeds:<\/p>
- Summer annuals <\/strong>(aka warm-season annual weeds) include <\/strong>sandbur, spurge, and purslane. They sprout in early spring and flower and seed during summer. Summer weeds are cold-sensitive and die with the first frost of the year.<\/li>
- Winter annuals <\/strong>(aka cool-season annual weeds) <\/strong>sprout in lawns from late summer to early autumn. They grow throughout the fall and winter and flower and seed in the spring and early summer. Some examples are annual bluegrass, chickweed, and henbit.<\/li> <\/ul>
Biennial weeds<\/strong> have a two-year-long life cycle. They sprout from seed, grow a circular cluster of leaves during the first year, and then go dormant across the winter. During their second growing season, biennials grow a tall flowering stalk, produce seeds, and die. <\/p>
Examples of biennials that often grow in lawns include Queen Anne’s lace (aka wild carrot), evening primrose, burdock, common mullein, and moth mullein.<\/p>
Perennial weeds<\/strong> live for at least three years, flowering and seeding every growing season. They\u2019re the most long-lived weed type, able to withstand winter frost and summer heat because of their extensive root systems, often with a central taproot that can dig deep into the soil.<\/p>
There are two main types of perennial weeds: <\/p>
- Simple perennial weeds<\/strong> only spread by seed. However, new weeds can emerge from small pieces of root left in the soil when the plant is injured. Dandelions, broadleaf plantain, and curly dock are simple perennials.<\/li>
- Creeping perennials are <\/strong>spread by seed, roots, stolons, and rhizomes. They are the hardest to kill because a little piece of root is always left in the soil, ready to grow a new plant. Examples are Johnsongrass, oxalis, and field bindweed.<\/li> <\/ul>
Top 32 most common types of weeds<\/span><\/h2>
1. Annual bluegrass (Poa annua<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"Annual](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/1024px-Poa_annua_15-p.bot-poa.annua-01-1.jpg\")
Laval University<\/a> | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> A cool-season grassy weed, annual bluegrass is more visible during spring when greenish-white seed heads pop up across the lawn like flags signaling enemy invasion. The small spikelets dancing in the wind would be quite pretty, if not out of place, spreading unwanted seeds everywhere and turning your yard into a prairie.<\/p>
Where it grows:<\/strong> All across the United States.<\/p>
How to get rid of annual bluegrass:<\/strong><\/p>
- Dig isolated plants.<\/li>
- Mow the lawn periodically at a 2-inch height in the spring and bag the clippings<\/a> to prevent bluegrass from forming mature seed heads.<\/li>
- Apply a pre-emergent herbicide<\/a> in late summer to early fall.<\/li> <\/ul>
2. Black medic (Medicago lupulina<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"Black](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/1024px-Medicago_lupulina_-_whole_plant_19062671471.jpg\")
NY State IPM Program at Cornell University from New York<\/a> | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Often found in dry, sunny, low-nitrogen lawns along with white clover, black medic is also a member of the legume family and can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere. It spreads by seed and grows close to the soil, forming large colonies in weak, thin turf. <\/p>
Like white clover, it has trefoil leaves with toothed margins and a tiny spur at the tip of each leaflet. Due to its small, bright yellow flowers, it’s also known as yellow trefoil<\/em>, black clover<\/em>, and hop medic<\/em>.<\/p>
Where it grows:<\/strong> All across the United States.<\/p>
How to get rid of black medic:<\/strong><\/p>
- Easy to hand-pull. Remove plants before they have a chance to seed.<\/li>
- Apply a broadleaf herbicide on large areas from late spring to early summer and again early through mid-autumn.<\/li> <\/ul>
3. Broadleaf plantain (Plantago major<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"Broadleaf](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Broadleaf-plantain-Plantago-major.jpg\")
Robert Flogaus-Faust<\/a> | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> A common weed in many family lawns, plantain is a broadleaf perennial that likes moist, nutrient-rich soil, does well in compacted lawns, and is not disturbed by foot traffic. It grows low to the ground in rosettes of oval-shaped leaves with parallel veins. When the seeding time comes, plantain puts up tall flowering stalks with tiny greenish flowers. <\/p>
Where it grows:<\/strong> All across the United States.<\/p>
How to get rid of broadleaf plantain: <\/strong><\/p>
- Mow to prevent seed heads from forming.<\/li>
- Use a shovel to dig the plant along with its taproot.<\/li>
- Apply a broadleaf herbicide with 2,4-D or triclopyr, or make spot treatments with a non-selective weed killer like glyphosate and glufosinate. <\/li> <\/ul>
4. Burweed (Soliva sessilis<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"Burweed](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/1024px-Soliva_sessilis_114890247.jpg\")
Annika Lindqvist<\/a> | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> \u201cLawn burweed is easy to control, but if you already have the stickers it is too late,\u201d says Wiley Ross Greene, a county extension agent for the University of Georgia. The stickers – painful to walk on without shoes – are spring-tipped burs Soliva sessilis forms in the spring to hold its seeds. You can also recognize this winter annual plant by its small hairy leaves divided into narrow lobes. <\/p>
Where it grows:<\/strong> Along the western coast in Washington, Oregon, and California and the southeastern side from Virgina through Florida to Texas.<\/p>
How to get rid of burweed:<\/strong><\/p>
- Greene recommends applying a pre-emergent herbicide like atrazine in January or February before the stickers form.<\/li>
- For sprouted weeds, consider a post-emergent applied before seed formation.<\/li> <\/ul>
5. Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"pink](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Canada-thistle.jpg\")
Matt Lavin<\/a> | Flickr | CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Canada thistle is a broadleaf perennial with purple flowers formed in burs that later host the seeds. Its long, tongue-shaped leaves have sharp spines along the edges that sting like angry bees, making it a nightmare for barefooting and lawns where children play. <\/p>
Growing up to 5 feet tall, this prolific weed thrives in deep, well-drained, fine-textured soils such as clay and loamy. It crows native vegetation and crops, and it\u2019s listed as noxious in many states.<\/p>
Other thistle weeds from the aster (Asteraceae) family – equally nasty – that might land on your lawn are musk thistle, milk thistle, and bull thistle.<\/p>
Where it grows: <\/strong>All across the United States except Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.<\/p>
How to get rid of<\/strong> Canada thistle:<\/strong> <\/p>
- Use a shovel to dig the plant with the roots. Thistles have a deep and extensive root system. If removing the plant by hand, wear thick gloves.<\/li>
- Apply a broadleaf herbicide in spring and fall.<\/li> <\/ul>
6. Clover (Trifolium repens<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"White](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1024px-Trifolium_repens_5154568317.jpg\")
Matt Lavin<\/a> from Bozeman, Montana | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> It is said that the three leaves (actually leaflets) of clover stand for faith, hope, and love, and the fourth one (rarely present) brings luck. Clovers<\/a> are spread by seed and runners and form dense mats over the soil. In some yards, they are weeds. In others, homeowners use them as groundcovers, erosion-preventers, and nitrogen-fixers. <\/p>
Two types of clover are more common and can be seen often in lawns: white clover (white flowers) and red cover (pink to purple flowers).<\/p>
Where it grows:<\/strong> All across the United states.<\/p>
How to <\/strong>get rid of white clover<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>
- Apply a thick layer of mulch on garden beds.<\/li>
- Dig out clover if only a few weeds are present.<\/li>
- Use an iron-based herbicide in lawn areas or try a natural herbicide<\/a> like vinegar or corn meal.<\/li> <\/ul>
7. Common chickweed (Stellaria media<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"Common](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1024px-Stellaria_media_3_RF.jpg\")
Robert Flogaus-Faust<\/a> | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> A winter annual weed, chickweed<\/a> has light green, rounded to egg-shaped leaves and grows close to the ground, forming dense mats with tiny white flowers. This weed spreads fast by seed and vegetative parts. It roots easily where stems touch the soil, and any plant fragment left on the ground after hand pulling will quickly re-root. <\/p>
Where it grows: <\/strong>Throughout the United States, but less in the southeast.<\/p>
How to get rid of chickweed:<\/strong><\/p>
- Hand-pull chickweed seedlings.<\/li>
- Apply post-emergent herbicides<\/a> with dicamba, MCPP (methylchlorophenoxypropionic acid, mostly known under the commercial name of Mecoprop), and fluroxypyr.<\/li> <\/ul>
8. Crabgrass (Digitaria<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"Crabgrass](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/1024px-Crabgrass.jpeg\")
Richard Arthur Norton<\/a> (1958- ) at English Wikipedia | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 2.5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> A grassy annual weed, crabgrass grows in lawns and garden areas, creeping along close to the soil like crabs do. It loves high temperatures and often sprouts in cracks in the pavement and sunny, compacted areas where turfgrass can\u2019t handle the scorching heat. <\/p>
Unfortunately, this weed is also a prolific seeder that is unaffected by regular mowing. \u201cCrabgrass plants are very adaptable to mowing height. Plants can produce seeds at mowing heights as low as 1\/2-inch,\u201d according to the University of Massachusetts Amherst.<\/p>
Where it grows:<\/strong> All across the United States.<\/p>
How to get rid of <\/strong>crabgrass<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> <\/p>
- Apply a pre-emergent weed killer in early spring.<\/li>
- Hand-pull isolated plants, roots, and all.<\/li>
- Spot-treat with a systemic herbicide<\/a> that can travel inside the plant and damage the roots. <\/li> <\/ul>
9. Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"Creeping](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/18246486624_4c32fcc792_c.jpg\")
New York State IPM Program at Cornell University<\/a> | Flickr | CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Also known by names such as ground ivy<\/em>, gill-on-the-ground<\/em>, and creeping Jenny<\/em>, this perennial herb spreads by seed and creeping stems that reroot from their nodes. It loves moist shade and often pops up under trees and shrubs. <\/p>
How do you recognize it? Look for bright green, kidney-shaped leaves with scalloped edges and four-sided stems. If you crush the leaves and stems in your hand, you should feel a strong mint-like odor. <\/p>
Where it grows: <\/strong>All across the United States except New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada.<\/p>
- Apply a pre-emergent herbicide<\/a> in late summer to early fall.<\/li> <\/ul>
- Creeping perennials are <\/strong>spread by seed, roots, stolons, and rhizomes. They are the hardest to kill because a little piece of root is always left in the soil, ready to grow a new plant. Examples are Johnsongrass, oxalis, and field bindweed.<\/li> <\/ul>
- Winter annuals <\/strong>(aka cool-season annual weeds) <\/strong>sprout in lawns from late summer to early autumn. They grow throughout the fall and winter and flower and seed in the spring and early summer. Some examples are annual bluegrass, chickweed, and henbit.<\/li> <\/ul>
- 2. Black medic (Medicago lupulina)<\/a><\/li>
- Types of weeds by leaf shape and life cycle<\/a><\/li>