College of Agriculture & Natural Resources

• 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.

• Creeping Speedwell

  Creeping speedwell is a low growing perennial that prefers shade, moist soils, good fertility and a low mowing height.

• Common Lambsquarters

  Like many other summer annual broadleaf weeds, common lambsquarters is generally considered an 'establishment weed.' Common lambsquarters needs cultivation (bare, loose soil) to establish.

• Goosegrass

  Goosegrass is a warm season summer annual grassy weed that predominates in exposed, trafficked conditions.

• Yarrow, Common

  Common yarrow is considered a desirable herbaceous perennial by many gardeners and is sold in its cultivated form at most greenhouses.

• Prostrate Knotweed

  Prostrate knotweed is a supreme indicator weed. Knotweed is the earliest germinating of all the summer annual weeds. Due to its early germination timing, knotweed is able to claim resources and invade damaged areas before other desirable grasses begin to grow.

• Rough Bluegrass

  Rough bluegrass is often used to overseed dormant warm-season turfgrasses. Overseeding typically occurs in the fall to provide a playing surface throughout the winter months.

• Leaf Spot

  Leaf spot is a warm-weather disease, but the pathogen overwinters as dormant mycelium in infected plants and dead grass debris.

• Buckhorn Plantain

  Buckhorn plantain is a narrow-leaved perennial that forms a rosette. The 3-10 inch long leaves are less than 1 inch wide and arise from a thick, shallow tap root. Buckhorn plantain is very common in maintained turf but will also survive in meadows and waste areas.

• Yellow Rocket

  Yellow rocket is a rosette-forming winter annual that is usually associated with bare, disturbed soil or new establishments (prefers nutrient-rich, medium-textured soils).

• Orchardgrass

  Orchardgrass is a competitive perennial grassy weed of cool-season turf. It has a very well developed fibrous root system and can be difficult to remove once established.

• Perennial Sowthistle

  Perennial sowthistle is common in roadside and low maintenance turf and somewhat less common in landscapes. It prefers slightly alkaline or neutral soils, fine-textured, rich soils. Perennial sowthistle will not thrive on coarse sandy soils.

• Purple Deadnettle

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

• 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.

• Poison Ivy

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

• Nimblewill

  Nimblewill is a warm-season turfgrass that will infest cool-season turf. It has excellent winter hardiness which allows it to establish and compete.

• Smut

  The smut diseases are important on many Kentucky bluegrass cultivars and higher cut turfgrass.

• Prostrate Spurge

  Prostrate spurge is a late-germinating, low growing, mat-producing summer annual. Spurge is very often found in un-irrigated bark mulch common to parking lot tree islands, crevices and boulevards.

• Creeping Woodsorrel

  Creeping woodsorrel is a spreading perennial weed with a reddish-purple color that frequently roots at the nodes.

• Powdery Mildew

  Turf affected by the disease have a grayish white cast, with initial symptoms appearing as white patches on the leaf blade.