Light green, cool-season annual grass • bunch type or ‘clump’ growth habit • numerous seeds, especially in spring, making it very noticeable in the lawn • dies out during the heat of the summer • new seeds begin germinating late summer • found throughout the U.S. • apply crabgrass preventer before annual bluegrass begins germination in late summer
Vining habit, with extensive root system • very persistent • shades out lawn • will climb on nearby flowers and shrubs
Very common in new lawns • sprouts and grows in cool weather
Often indicates poor soil, need for fertilizer • appears in cool weather
Seeds sprout in spring and summer after rain or watering • very fast growing • likes bare and weak areas of the lawn
Persistent • invasive, forms a mat that chokes and shades grass • most prevalent in moist soil and partial shade, but also thrives in sun
Appears in summer, but grows year-round in warm climates • thrives in low, wet areas
Persistent • appears in early spring and continues through summer and fall, or year-round in warm climates • will adapt height to escape mowing
Creeps and spreads through lawn to choke it out • one species is used as a substitute for grass in some West Coast areas
Similar in appearance to Crabgrass, except base of stems are lighter green and Goosegrass appears weeks later • very strong roots; hard to pull • out-competes lawn in hot, dry conditions
Sprouts in fall and grows during cool season • prefers rich, moist soil and partial shade • invades bare or weak areas of lawn
Common in grass where soil is compacted
Low-growing, prostrate winter annual with hard-to-see but easily felt spine-tipped burs – hence the common name • found in the Southeast & along the Pacific Coast • apply weed killer in late fall to late winter
Persistent • grows best in cool season
Found in moist soil, shade • spreads by seeding • appears in spring and continues through summer • broadleaf plantain common in wet, compacted soil
Painful if stepped on • often flat and hidden in the grass • spreads quickly by seeding • appears in spring and continues till fall
Makes a mat that chokes lawn • likes rich soil • spreads quickly from seed
Appears in spring and remains through fall • painful to step on the spiny "bur," or seed • spreads quickly from seed • worst in sandy soils
Dainty runners grow into a solid sheet that chokes grass • clippings scattered by mower root where they land
Appears in spring and summer • prefers sunny areas • forms a stiff mat that chokes and shades grass
Appears in cool weather • sprouts here and there, but can spread if uncontrolled • ruins the look of a uniform winter carpet in warm-season lawns
Appears in late winter • mars the uniform look of winter lawn • persistent, smells like onion • waxy coating protects leaves from spray • step on leaves to crush lightly before spraying
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