Identification and Control of Weeds
The presence of weeds in a lawn is usually seen as a negative. In rough grass and meadows nothing is a ‘weed’, but taking the definition of a weed as a ‘plant growing where it is not wanted’, anything growing in your lawn but the grasses you sowed can be considered a weed.
Gardeners’ attitudes to weed vary. Some are quite accepting of clover or daisies in their lawns while others crave the perfect stretch of uniform green – to each his own.
In these pages we will help you identify the plants you find growing in lawns and suggest ways of controlling them, should you wish to.
We have chosen to use drawings rather than photographs as it is actually easier to identify plants from drawings because the artist emphasises the important features that will help you put names to these plants. Some of these drawings are also works of art in their own right.
Rather than give long botanical descriptions using the arcane language of botany we have pointed to the important features that along with the drawing should make identification easy.
Once identified you can assess the risk and see what kind of control is available. Some weeds succumb easily, other do not.
By browsing the thumbnails images and clicking to see a larger picture you should be able to name most of the plants you will encounter in UK lawns. The images are divided into two groups.
- Weeds that form clumps or rosettes of leaves and are rather upright.
- Weeds that spread by stems and form low mats among the grass.
When using chemical controls be sure to follow the manufactures’ recommendations, especially regarding the rate of coverage. ‘A little more for good luck’ may cause serious damage to the grasses you are trying to improve. Avoid spraying or spreading feed & weed onto flower beds as that too may cause damage to plants you treasure. Protect yourself and your family by following the safety directions.
When it is suggested that more than one application may be necessary, you should wait until you see clear re-growth of the weed before making a second application. Sometimes that may be the next spring. Control will be more effective if the weeds are growing, so spring and early summer usually give better results than autumn or winter applications.
Scientific Name | Common Name |
Clump Forming and Upright Weeds | |
Cirsium arvense | Creeping Thistle |
Crepis capillaris | Smooth Hawk’s-beard |
Equisetum arvense | Horsetail |
Geranium molle | Crane’s-bill |
Glechoma hederacea | Ground Ivy |
Hypochaeris radicata | Cat’s Ear |
Pilosella officinarum | Mouse-ear Hawkweed, |
Plantago lanceolata | Ribwort Plantain |
Plantago major | Greater Plantain |
Ranunculus acris | Tall Buttercup |
Rumex crispus | Curled Dock |
Rumex obtusifolius | Broad-leaved Dock |
Scorzoneroides autumnalis | Hawkbit |
Sonchus arvensis | Perennial sow-thistle |
Taraxacum officinale | Dandelion |
Creeping and low-growing Weeds | |
Achillea millefolium | Yarrow |
Alchemilla arvensis | Parsley Piert |
Bellis perennis | Common Daisy |
Cerastium fontanum | Mouse-eared Chickweed |
Lotus corniculatus | Bird’s-foot Trefoil |
Medicago lupulina | Black Medick |
Polygonum aviculare | Knotweed |
Potentilla anserina | Silverweed |
Prunella vulgaris | Self-heal |
Ranunculus ficaria | Lesser Celandine |
Ranunculus repens | Creeping Buttercup |
Rumex acetosella | Sheep Sorrel |
Sagina procumbens | Pearlwort |
Soleirolia soleirolii | Baby’s Tears |
Stellaria media. | Chickweed |
Trifolium dubium | Lesser Trefoil |
Trifolium pratense. | Red Clover |
Trifolium repens | White Clover |
Veronica hederacefolia | Ivy-leaved Speedwell |