Lawn Weeds Identification Guide
Identify and control common weeds in Texas lawns
With the vast number of climates in Texas, it's no shocker that the variety of weeds in Texas is pretty broad. This guide will help you identify common weeds and understand how to control them.
There are two major types of weeds: broadleaf weeds with wider, more noticeable foliage, and grassy weeds that blend in until they spread beyond manageability.
Broadleaf Weeds
Wider foliage that's easier to spot
Grassy Weeds
Blend in until they take over
Common Broadleaf Weeds
Bittercress
Also known as hairy bittercress, this lovely white flower will wreak havoc on your lawn if you allow it to. It blooms in the spring and grows a lengthy taproot that is difficult to dig up and fully eradicate. This weed spreads mainly through seeds, so eradicating it before it blooms is key.
How to Control
A post-emergent herbicide used early on is effective. Because this is an annual plant, you only need to get rid of it once to prevent it from returning.
Pigweed
Also known as amaranth, pigweed appears late spring to early summer. It can resemble sticker weeds with its spiky seed heads. While more problematic in crops and gardens, it can still disrupt your lawn's appearance.
How to Control
Control preventatively with winter mulching to discourage seed germination. Till earth in early spring, pull seedlings, and apply a second mulch layer.
Spurge
A hardy plant with multiple species and subspecies. While some are grown ornamentally, wild spurge disrupts uniform turf. It grows through spring and summer, thriving in various environments and soil types.
How to Control
Both pre- and post-emergent herbicides are recommended.
Chickweed
A broadleaf annual named because chickens consume it. It spreads rapidly and grows up to eight inches with tiny white flowers. Its matting growth pattern chokes out grass.
How to Control
Use selective herbicide as soon as noticed.
Purslane
Also called Dolly Parton Flower, this invasive succulent enjoys warm, well-watered soil and tolerates heat and drought. Its seeds can survive multiple years beneath the soil surface.
How to Control
Use post-emergent herbicide before blooming to kill buds before they spread seeds.
Creeping Charlie
Also known as ground ivy, this weed spreads via creeping stolons along the ground. It creates mats that deprive topsoil and roots of nutrients and moisture.
How to Control
A dense grass bed prevents establishment. Remove all roots to prevent regrowth, as leftover roots sprout easily.
Asterweed
Also called roadside aster and slender aster. Grows in clumps producing daisy-like flowers. As it matures, stems become woodier and harder to remove. Prefers dry soil.
How to Control
Thorough watering helps discourage it. Apply pre-emergent herbicide before flowering.
Thistle
Initially resembles dandelions until producing small spiked purple blossoms. A single patch can reach a foot wide and several feet tall. Spreads via seeds.
How to Control
Treat vigorously with post-emergent herbicide before blooming. Dig up seedlings.
Dandelions
The poor stereotype of all weeds, dandelions cause no harm to adjacent plants but are often seen as an eyesore. They bloom perennially and biennially, producing yellow flowers that become grey seed crowns.
How to Control
Dig up by hand or use broadleaf-specific post-emergent herbicide.
Henbit
An annual weed with notched leaves that spreads via seeds when blossoming in late spring. Dealing with it before blooming prevents seeding.
How to Control
Watch for sprouts and treat immediately with selective herbicide before it blooms.
Clover
A perennial intruder that loves moist soil, most likely cropping up in overwatered lawns and poorly draining low areas. It doesn't harm grass but creates inconsistency in your landscape.
How to Control
A brief dry spell discourages growth. Selective spot-treatments are typically safe and effective.
Dollarweed
Sometimes mistaken for harmless dichondra, dollarweed has darker, larger leaves and will harm your lawn if left unchecked.
How to Control
Herbicides like atrazine work well if applied during early growth. Apply mulch around shrubs and trees; maintain healthy lawn to choke out dollarweed.
Field Bindweed
Also known as Convolvulus arvensis, this perennial vining plant can grow up to six feet, producing white or pink funnel-shaped flowers. It quickly spreads and takes over areas with a deep root system that resists herbicides.
How to Control
Apply post-emergent herbicides when actively growing. Very difficult to eradicate completely.
Black Medic
Also called Medicago lupulina, this common annual produces small yellow flowers blooming late spring to early summer. Its small round seeds can persist for years in the soil. It competes with grass for nutrients and water, thinning your lawn.
How to Control
Control via regular mowing, hand-pulling, or herbicides.
Purple Deadnettle
Also called Lamium purpureum, this invasive annual blooms small purple flowers from early spring to early summer. While edible and nutrient-rich, it's not as aggressive as others but can quickly take over a lawn.
How to Control
Hand-pull or use selective herbicides.
Showy Evening Primrose
Also called Oenothera speciosa, this native perennial blooms large pink or white flowers from late spring to early summer. It quickly spreads and takes over areas with a deep taproot that resists herbicides. Some intentionally plant it as an important nectar source.
How to Control
Deep taproot makes eradication difficult. Persistent removal and herbicide application needed.
Common Grassy Weeds
Nutsedge
Among the most difficult plants to eradicate in yards. Grows in clumps of V-shaped sprouts resembling grass initially but turning yellowish and growing much faster than turf.
How to Control
Dense turf prevents development. Use pre-emergent herbicide if risk is suspected.
Dayflower Weed
Also called asiatic dayflower, it resembles lawn grass initially but is identified by tiny blue flowers that bloom year-round. Difficult to remove because seeds remain viable over a year while dormant in soil.
How to Control
Hand-pulling is fairly effective. Fertilizers with sulfentrazone show good results.
Quackgrass
Tough to identify, initially resembling both ryegrass and crabgrass. Has a tufted growth pattern with deep roots that make it difficult to dig up.
How to Control
Foster a healthy, dense grass bed to prevent establishment. Pre-emergent herbicide is best.
Annual Ryegrass
While perennial ryegrass is used for lawns, annual ryegrass is a poor long-term choice. Sometimes mixed with grass seeds, it enters residential lawns unintentionally. Not specifically harmful but lasts up to two years, leaving yellow patches.
How to Control
Yellow patches may require overseeding or sod plugs to fill in after it dies off.
Crowfoot Grass
Also called duck grass or button grass, recognized by fuzzy star-shaped spikes extending beyond its grassy foliage. While not overtly invasive, it has a matting growth pattern potentially harmful to soil and turf grass.
How to Control
Mulching is effective for gardens. Selective herbicide works best for lawns.
Rescuegrass
Not to be confused with fescue, rescuegrass is opportunistic but short-lived. It won't harm chosen turf but dies very quickly, leaving yellow spots that need overseeding or sod plugs.
How to Control
Handle with pre-emergent herbicide.
Doveweed
A creeping weed that impersonates turf grass, especially in St. Augustine beds. Its clumping blades have a rubbery texture that differs from established grass. Propagates easily and takes over lawns quickly.
How to Control
Use pre-emergent herbicide. Tackle before flowering as it spreads by creeping stolons and seeding.
Crabgrass
One of the most formidable foes for residential and commercial lawn owners. Truly harmful to turf and incredibly challenging to eliminate. It resembles turf grass initially but clumps and spreads rapidly through seeding and stolons.
How to Control
Pre-emergent herbicide in early spring is essential.
Poa Annua (Bluegrass)
An avid seeder making control especially difficult. Typically shows up late winter to early spring and loves moist soil for seed germination. Treatment differs depending on your turf type.
How to Control
St. Augustine needs pre-emergent. Zoysia and Bermuda need both pre- and post-emergent herbicides.
Dallisgrass
A perennial that grows in clumps that continue enlarging until stopped. Unlike opportunistic weeds, dallisgrass actually chokes turf grass with its roots. Grows especially well in clay-rich North Texas soils.
How to Control
Poses immediate threat needing quick treatment. Use selective herbicide upon spotting and enrich turf to compete.
Crow-Poison
Looks somewhat like wild onion with tiny white flowers but identified by its lack of fragrance. Also called false garlic, it's hardy enough to grow in all four seasons. Not edible!
How to Control
Some experts say organic herbicides are sufficient. A dense, healthy turf bed is the best deterrent.
Goosegrass
Resembles crabgrass but is somewhat less pest-like. Grows in clumps as a summer annual that prefers poorly drained soil. If turf is healthy enough, a brief dry spell discourages propagation.
How to Control
Aerate soil to prevent initial establishment. Pre-emergent herbicides are helpful for prevention.
Johnsongrass
Also called Sorghum halepense, this tall perennial can reach up to 12 feet. Originally native to the Mediterranean, it's now highly invasive in Texas. It competes for nutrients, water, and sunlight with a deep fibrous root system that resists traditional herbicides.
How to Control
Prevention is the best method. Reproduces by seed and underground rhizomes, making it very difficult once established.
Spring Starflower
Also called Star of Bethlehem, this small bulbous perennial is native to grassland and prairie regions. It grows in moist, shaded areas and smells like onions when crushed. It's poisonous and spreads via rhizomes.
How to Control
Perennial that lives two or more years. Requires persistent removal of bulbs and rhizomes.
Sandburs (Grassburrs)
Also called grassburrs, this annual grassy weed grows up to one foot tall with a distinctive seed head covered in sharp, spiny burrs. The burrs are painful and difficult to remove if lodged in clothing or animal fur.
How to Control
Pre-emergent herbicide. Maintain thick, healthy turf to prevent establishment.
Prairie Nymph
A perennial wildflower herb growing up to two feet, producing yellow or orange-yellow daisy-like flowers. Blooms late spring to early summer and is commonly seen in prairies, meadows, and roadsides. Has been used in traditional medicine for treating fever, headaches, and rheumatism.
How to Control
Regular mowing and selective herbicides. Maintain healthy, dense turf to prevent establishment.
Best Weed Prevention Strategies
- 1 Maintain dense, healthy turf - A thick lawn is the best defense against weeds. Proper fertilization and watering keeps grass competitive.
- 2 Apply pre-emergent herbicides - Apply in early spring before weeds germinate. This prevents most annual weeds from establishing.
- 3 Treat weeds early - Post-emergent herbicides work best on young weeds. Don't wait until they flower and spread seeds.
- 4 Mow at proper height - Taller grass shades soil, preventing weed seed germination and reducing competition.
- 5 Water deeply but infrequently - Deep watering promotes deeper grass roots while discouraging shallow-rooted weeds.
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