What Do You Know About Common Lawn Weeds?
Before you can remove lawn weeds, you have to know how to identify them. Most of us are familiar with dandelions, ground ivy and chickweed, but what about the dozens more found in yards all across America. Interestingly, according to the Gardening Trends Research Report, weed and insect control are the top two activities American’s planned for their lawns in 2007. If you are one of the Americans who wanted a weed-free lawn, then deciding what types of lawn weeds you can live with and without, will save time and energy. For example, in past decades of American horticulture, clover was an enviable ground cover, but then, people began citing clover as a common lawn weed because it did not look like regular grass. Today, we have come full circle, as this “common lawn weed” is making a come-back as many landscapers and gardeners have realized that not only is clover’s evergreen-color pretty to look at, but it elevates the nitrogen levels in the soil, camouflages other weeds and non-grass plants, and it is disease resistant. Consequently, clover is now being purchased at seed supply store and garden supply catalogs by many Americans.
To help you in your quest for a weed free lawn, become familiar with the types of lawn weeds that grow in your region by looking for the identifiers listed below.
Types of Lawn Weeds |
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Common Lawn Weeds |
Appearance |
Region |
| Dallis grass | Looks much like grass and can grow up to 5′ tall; has yellowish green grass blades up to ½ inch wide | Southern United States |
| Japanese Clover | Looks like white clover, with long short leaflets in groups of three; woody stem with tiny purple flowers in late summer | Southern United States |
| Virginia Buttonweed | Pointed narrow leaves, with yellow tint; ½ inch star shaped white flowers | Southeastern United States |
| Field Horsetail | Fern-like foliage that fans out from a central yellowish stem which looks much a pine tree seedling | Found across the US except in the Southeast |
| Mouse-ear Chickweed | Grows close to the grass with small leaves that look like a mouse’s years, five petal flowers from spring to summer | Found across the US, except in the Deep South and South Dakota |
| White clover | Low growing, mat forming; round dark green leaves, multiple white and pink tinted flowers in spring and early summer | Entire US except in Deep South |
| Goose Grass | Clumping grass that looks like crabgrass, has finger-like stems at the top | Majority of the US, except the Northwest regions |
| Knawel | Hairy to smooth wire-like stems, pairs of thick pointed leaves | East coast of US, Pacific Northwest |
| Mallow | Mat forming with round leaves; pale pink flowers in leaf joints | United States, except in Florida |
| Moneywort | Vine with shiny round leaves in pairs, has yellow flowers with five petals in spring to late summer | US except in northern Great Plains |
| Quackgrass | Clump forming grass with blue-green blades; can reach 2-3 feet tall, similar to crabgrass, but has thicker stems | US except in Florida and Arizona |
| Speedwell | Branching stems with white and blue flowers, toothed leaves covered with fine hairs | Eastern United States from Virginia northward |
| Witch grass | Stands upright, spreads and branches at base; has a tall flower head that resembles a broom or tassel of a cornstalk | Entire US except Northern Plains |
| Yarrow | Fine feathery leaves that resemble a fern, has small clusters of white flowers in early to late summer | United States except in Florida |
There are many common lawns weeds that are found coast to coast in America. Talk to your local agricultural extension department to find out what is prevalent in your area.
