College of Agriculture & Natural Resources

• Prostrate Pigweed

  Prostrate pigweed is a native mat-forming summer annual weed that invades thin, damaged or under-fertilized lawns. It is common in areas with disturbed soils or neglected areas. Prostrate pigweed lacks the hairs common to redroot pigweed and has smooth leaves.

• Purple Deadnettle

  Purple deadnettle is a common weed invader of vacant agricultural fields, landscape borders, derelict lawns, and compost piles.

• Common Purslane

  Common purslane is a mat-forming summer annual that thrives in all soil types. Common purslane has multi-branched red stems with thick fleshy leaves that cluster at the end of the branches.

• Carolina Geranium

  Carolina geranium is an uncommon weed of low or no-maintenance areas such as fence rows. The leaf shape is very similar to common mallow, except that the leaves are more finely dissected. Pink, inconspicuous flowers are produced within the canopy. Plants typically do not persist after flowering.

• Wild Strawberry

  Wild strawberry is a trifoliate (three leaflets) weed that spreads by aggressive stolons. The leaves and fruit of wild strawberry are smaller than that of its cultivated cousin. Wild strawberry is usually found in low maintenance areas and prefers well-drained soils.

• Common Milkweed

  Milkweed is easily identified by its upright growth habit and large (entire) leaves. All plant parts will exude a milky white latex when broken.

• Gray Snow Mold

  This disease is important in northern regions of the United States, where snow cover remains on the ground for extended periods, usually 3 months or more.

• Take-All Patch

  Take all patch is an important disease on bentgrass, particularly newly established stands of creeping bentgrass turf. The disease first appears in late spring or early summer, as a patch of bronze or bleached turf.

• Broadleaf Plantain

  Broadleaf plantain is probably the second most common broadleaf weed of turf after dandelion. It is extremely well adapted to most sites including dry or wet conditions, heavy soils and very low mowing heights.

• Yellow Foxtail

  Yellow foxtail is a clumping annual grass that commonly invades Michigan turfs. Young plants can be difficult to distinguish from other grasses like crabgrass. Yellow foxtail produces a characteristic 'foxtail'-like seedhead.

• Common Mullein

  Large oblong densely-hairy leaves growing from a rosette in the first year. Leaves have alternate arrangement in second year. Mullein is commonly found in headlands and boundary areas.

• Green Foxtail

  Green foxtail is a clumping annual grass that commonly invades Michigan turfs. Young plants can be difficult to distinguish from other grasses like crabgrass. Green foxtail produces a characteristic 'foxtail'-like seedhead.

• Brown Patch

  Brown patch appears as circular patches, ranging from a few inches to several feet in diameter.

• Gray Leaf Spot

  Gray leaf spot is considered a problem on primarily perennial ryegrass and St. Augustinegrass. The disease first appears as tiny brown spots that enlarge and become oval or elongated.

• Poison Ivy

  Poison ivy is a trailing or climbing vine common to woodlots, naturalized areas, and property boundaries.

• Annual Bluegrass

  Annual bluegrass is unique among weeds. There is probably no other weed that is so widely adapted to variations in mowing height, site conditions and cultural practices.

• Field Horsetail

  Field horsetail is most often a weed of landscape beds and low-lying areas. Horsetail can survive in turf, but often will not persist with routine mowing.

• Common Chickweed

  Primarily a winter annual, common chickweed is frequently found growing in the mulch skirts of shade trees. In general, common chickweed prefers shaded sites with moist soils. The vegetation forms mounds that are 3-7 inches tall. The delicate white-to-pink flowers appear early in the spring. Plants can persist in protected areas well after flowering.

• Orange Hawkweed

  Orange hawkweed is a creeping perennial of low maintenance turf, roadsides and native areas. It can be an indicator of low soil fertility or slightly acidic soils. Hawkweed spreads by stolons and rhizomes creating colonies that form patches.

• Bull Thistle

  Bull thistle is a clumping biennial that forms a thick taproot in its first growing season. The leaves of bull thistle are covered with 'soft' hairs and needle-like spines on the margin.