27 Common Types of Weeds with Names & Picture Identification

Weeds are essentially just plants growing where they are not wanted or needed. They can cause problems in gardens when they grow wild and compete with the plants you’ve worked hard to plant. Many types of weeds can reproduce quickly and form a large patch in no time.

Gardeners face the problem of weeds in their yards and gardens constantly. There’s a delicate line to balance, as many weeds are actually good for local pollinators. While there are dozens upon dozens of different types of weeds, some are more difficult to prevent and remove.

This article contains pictures and descriptions of some of the most common types of weeds you may find in your garden. It’s important to remember that if you plan to remove them, do so with the least amount of impact to pollinators in your area.

Asiatic Bittersweet

	botanical name Celastrus orbiculatus

Asiatic bittersweet is a perennial weed that has small, orange berries. Round yellow or red berries are present in the fall. This highly invasive plant can cause major problems for both homes and garden spaces. It is sometimes mistaken for American bittersweet, which is native to the United States and has leaves that taper at their ends. The introduced Asiatic Bittersweet is invasive and very difficult to remove.

Asiatic bittersweet prefers disturbed areas, such as roadsides, forest edges, or abandoned farmlands. It adapts to most habitats but is more common in moist or wet soils on sunny sites. These perennials sprout mature vines that may reach four inches in diameter.

The leaves are rounded, ovular, and grow about two to five inches long. Once established, bittersweet vines are extremely challenging to remove. Start by severing the plant at the root level, and follow up by painting the stump with a targeted herbicide. If herbicides are out of the question, wait for sprouts to emerge, and remove them. Keep this up, and over the span of a few years, you’ll eradicate this invasive weed.

Bindweed

	botanical name Convolvulus arvensis

Bindweed has bright green, hairless stems and arrowhead-shaped leaves with scalloped edges. Its flowers are white to pinkish and bloom in clusters. It grows very low and forms dense mats in lawns and pastures. It thrives in clay soil often found along fence rows, roadsides, and fields with exposed subsoil.

Bindweed can grow through the tiniest of cracks in pavement, making it challenging to kill. Bindweed also has an extensive root system that can develop 10 to 20 feet below ground. Many of the roots are at a depth of one to two feet. Deep-rooted bindweeds are more likely to regenerate from any broken pieces.

Bindweed has thin, thread-like vines that wrap themselves tightly around plants or other objects. Control digging up the roots as the plants appear above the soil line. This can take three to five years. You can also use black silage tarps to smother the weeds and deprive them of sunlight.

Otherwise, wait for the plants to flower, and use an herbicide to remove them. Ensure the herbicide makes contact with the plant, and that it does not drift as you treat.

Canada Thistle

	botanical name Cirsium arvense

Canada thistle typically spreads by seed. It has origins in Southeast Europe and Asia, and was introduced to America in the 16th century, among crop seeds transported for settlement purposes. Thistle is very common and is identified by its purple spiky flowers.

In general, the leaves are lobed and serrated, with spines. The stem lacks these spines, but the leaves give the thistle a hairy appearance. Its seeds have feathery tufts, like dandelions, and they spread via wind. These can remain in the soil for up to 20 years.

Canada thistle usually appears in open overgrazed areas or areas tilled repeatedly for cultivation. You’ll also find them along river banks, woodland edges, roadsides, and in gardens.

Mowing it down to the ground as it sets buds prevents its infestation. Uproot the plant, excavating as much of the root system as possible with a shovel. The roots reach deep into the earth, and even a tiny portion of it can regenerate the plant. Repeatedly doing this can stop future growth.

Targeted herbicide is another option. Wait until the leaves emerge to treat, and focus your treatment on the plant itself, or you may kill surrounding plants. Ensure your treatment is done in the spring on a calm day.

Chickweed

	botanical name Stellaria media

Chickweed is a low-growing winter weed that emerges in cool weather and steals nutrients from nearby plants early in the growing season. There are two species of chickweed: common chickweed and sticky chickweed.

Chickweed germinates when soil temperatures reach between 53°F and 68°F (12-20°C), but slows its growth as soil temperatures get warmer or colder. It thrives in moist soils with low fertility.

Chickweed spreads readily, but it is not as hard to control as other invasive weeds. It is best to hand-pull or dig it up before it flowers in spring, and then smother the area with mulch. Removal is important in home gardens, as they harbor diseases and pests that damage cultivated plants. However, the plant is edible and usable, so many gardens decide to keep it around.

Clovers

	botanical name Trifolium repens

Clover is easily identified by its white or pinkish flowers that emerge in late summer and early fall. It spreads quickly and prefers disturbed areas, such as cultivated fields, lawns, or farmlands. It is often planted to fix nitrogen in the soil or to replace a grass lawn. However, it is invasive in many regions, along with other species of clover.

Once established, it is challenging to eliminate, so preventive measures are best. Fertilize your lawn effectively and fill in areas where turf is sparse. Alternatively, manually uproot the whole plant by hand. There are targeted herbicides on the market that work to eradicate the plant. If you use them, apply them in the fall for the most effective treatment.

Crabgrass

	botanical name Digitaria sanguinalis

Crabgrass is a part of the Digitaria genus, with species common throughout the country. It has smooth stems with circular grooves. The leaves are long, thin blades of grass, and have notches at their base where they attach to the stem. They are usually yellowish-green to lime green, and form small mats, making them easy to spot.

Crabgrass is difficult to control once it is established. It thrives in moist soil conditions, and its seeds germinate quickly after rainfall. Once you’ve located it around your garden or yard, pull it from the base. Consistent effort by mechanical means is a good removal method.

Mowing at the proper time and height also eradicates it. In addition, do not overwater your lawn as moist conditions are perfect for crabgrass germination.

Curly Dock

	botanical name Rumex crispus

Curly dock prefers moist soil, but can survive in dry soil as well. It grows in pastures, roadsides, and cropland. It has a membranous sheath and bulging stem joints. Its leaves grow two to five feet in length and take on wavy edges as they mature. Curly dock inflorescences grow in clusters on stalks that rise above the leaves.

Because curly dock is a native plant, controlling it by hand digging can be difficult, but this is one option for removing it. Extension offices typically recommend using targeted herbicides to control it. Remove maturing seed heads to prevent the spread of seeds, which persist in soil up to 50 years. Removing and solarizing the soil where the dock was growing is another way to get rid of it.

Dodder Weeds

	botanical name Cuscuta campestris

Dodder is an annual weed and a North American native plant. However, it is difficult to control and highly damaging to crops. It’s called “dodder” because its thread-like, vining stems resemble worms.

The reason it is so damaging to crops is due to its parasitic nature. It attaches to common garden plants and feeds on their nutrients, killing them in the process. Dodder can also adapt to many different soil conditions, and it forms large colonies that wipe out many crops.

Control this weed by using an integrated approach. Prevent it by planting dodder-free seed, and remove common weeds that host it, like pigweed and lambsquarters. For small infestations, remove them by hand. Larger infestations are best handled via pre- and post-emergent herbicides. Always follow the label and use proper timing when using these.

Green Foxtail

	botanical name Setaria viridis

Green foxtail is an annual grass. Across North America, it is a ubiquitous weed found in lawns, crop fields, landscapes, and even gardens. It grows up to six feet high with leaves that are half an inch to one inch wide. Its seed heads are nodding at greatest growth, with many small bristles similar to a foxtail, hence the name. Its roots are fibrous.

It’s important to remove foxtail from your yard and garden, especially if you have pets. The seed heads are spiky and get lodged into the skin of animals. Dog owners may already be aware of the looming vet bill to have one of these removed.

Herbicides can provide partial control for foxtails, but they are most effectively removed by mechanical means. Hand-pull young plants, and prevent them from going to seed. In infested areas, turn them under the soil in summer, and smother them with cardboard, compost, or mulch.

Ground Ivy

	botanical name Glechoma hederacea

Ground ivy is a perennial found in woodlands, roadsides, and thickets. It is a very aggressive plant that spreads and harms existing plants. It is toxic to horses. Since it lives in low-lying areas, it handles wet soil easily, and its seeds disperse quickly. Its tiny flower petals are purple or white, with pale spotted throats.

Ground ivy often grows in shady areas, such as flower beds and around trees and shrubs. You can remove it by hand. The earlier in the life cycle, the better, if you’ve decided not to keep it in your yard or garden.

Horsetail Weed

	botanical name Equisetum arvense

Horsetail is a holdover from prehistoric times. Its leaves typically grow in whorls. It has thin, greenish branches and segmented stems. Horsetail spreads quickly to form a wide-ranging carpet that smothers other plants, particularly in waterways.

Horsetail prefers moist or wet soils and thrives in ditches or low-lying spots. It adapts to most habitats, but is more common in sunny areas with rich soils. It’s poisonous to animals, especially if consumed in incredible amounts.

The best way to take this one out of your landscape is to remove it by hand consistently for multiple years. It reproduces via spores, so snipping its heads is another way to control its spread. Alter the soil to make it drain more easily, and horsetail is less likely to grow.

Japanese Knotweed

	botanical name Fallopia japonica

Japanese knotweed is a shrub-like weed native to Eastern Asia. It grows up to nine feet tall and has small white flowers. Its stem is hollow, reddish-brown, and segmented. Knotweed leaves are green and simple. Its roots grow down to six feet deep.

It commonly grows along stream banks, roadsides, and planted landscapes. It adapts to many different soil conditions and climates, and is a noxious weed in many parts of North America. Mechanical control of knotweed notoriously causes resprouting. The best means of keeping its growth down is stem-injection of herbicide.

Knapweed

	botanical name Centaurea and Rhaponticum spp.

Knapweed is a perennial weed that infests vegetable gardens, roadsides, pastures, and rangeland. Common knapweed species include:

• Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea stoebe)
• Yellow Starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis)
• Russian Knapweed (Rhaponticum repens)

These plants adapt to most habitats and are extremely difficult to eliminate once established.

Digging out spotted knapweed can be effective, especially after the plant has bolted and the soil is moist. Mowing is an effective control for all three species, as long as it takes place every month starting in the temperate weather of spring. Keep it up until winter.

Lambsquarters

	botanical name Chenopodium album

Lambsquarters is an annual weed that sometimes harbors viral diseases. It’s commonly found in hayfields and along streams and railroad tracks, and in any disturbed sites. It can grow up to six feet tall and has grayish-green leaves with a smooth, angular stem.

Lambsquarters are edible and nutritious. If you want to try them, harvest them when they’re young, and the leaves haven’t developed ragged edges. As these edges become more pronounced, the leaves get bitter.

Hand pull lambsqaurters when they’re young. Regularly mow your land and aerate the soil to eradicate them. Follow a regular watering and fertilizing schedule to maintain conditions that make it less likely for lambsquarters to emerge. Try not to let them go to seed, as the seed bank is plentiful and persists in the soil for many years.

Nutsedge Weeds

	botanical name Cyperus rotundus

Nutsedge is a grass-like weed that spreads by seed and rhizomes, or horizontal shoots that grow along the soil’s surface. It is difficult to identify before its flowers emerge, looking just like any other grass.

Nutsedge has a dark green, V-shaped stem. It spreads to a diameter of six inches or more. You may find it growing along fences, driveways, sidewalks, grassy areas, and around plants and trees.

Once nutsedge matures, it releases tiny dust-like seeds, many of which make it into surface cracks in walkways and driveways. Hand-removal of young sprouts is effective if you leave them on the soil surface to dry in the sun. Snip off and dispose of seedheads to prevent their spread.

Orange Jewelweed

	botanical name Impatiens capensis

Orange Jewelweed is an annual that produces bright golden-orange flowers with reddish splotches. It’s a native plant east of the Rocky Mountains, but outside its native range, it spreads very quickly. It is commonly referred to as the “spotted-touch-me-not” because of the seed pods that pop up at a touch.

Orange Jewelweed thrives in moist areas, in gardens or in wild plots. Young plants are easy to pull by hand, especially in moist soil. Crush plants that haven’t gone to seed, and compost them. If they have gone to seed, carefully remove the pods and throw them in the trash.

Oxalis

	botanical name Oxalidaceae family

Oxalis is a genus of many species in the family Oxalidaceae. Also called wood sorrel, sour grass, and shamrock, some species are invasive, while others are rare endemics. Therefore, it’s important to identify the species you’re dealing with before removing it.

The leaves are heart-shaped. Its flowers are four-petaled, and it spreads via seed and reproduction of its corms. Oxalis spreads quickly and chokes out other plants in a garden.

The recommended removal method is hand-pulling. You can also mow over several weeks starting in spring to kill it off. Note that this can harm your lawn’s soil and make it harder for grass to grow back quickly.

Use a sharp hoe to cut the plants off near their base. If you need to dispose of these weeds, place them into a garbage bag and seal it tightly with tape, and throw it in the trash.

Pigweed

	botanical name Amaranthus spp.

These common weeds found all over North America are called pigweed, wild spinach, or wild amaranth (among others). They have large oval leaves and sprout flower spikes that produce round pods containing thousands of seeds. They turn brownish-red and split open when ripe, spreading numerous tiny black seeds.

Pigweeds are most common in warmer areas with full sun exposure. They compete vigorously with crops and reproduce readily. Most pigweed leaves are edible, but they contain oxalic acids, which are removed via cooking. Most are easy to pull when young, and preventing them from going to seed controls them as well.

Plantain Plants

	botanical name Plantago spp.

Plantains are broadleaf weeds that are found all over the world. Plantain rosettes grow in early spring when the soil begins to warm. There are roughly 200 species of plantain, some of which are native to North America. Many are prolific weeds.

The leaves of these plants are easily distinguishable. All plantains grow from a rosette of deeply veined leaves. Some have lance-shaped leaves, while broadleaf plantains have smooth, oval leaves. These plants thrive in compacted soil. The key to eradicating them is keeping your soil healthy and adequately aerated.

Plantains are not deep-rooted and are easily controlled with shallow cultivation around the plant’s base. Chemicals are also very effective against plantains when applied at the right time. Consult your local extension office for the details regarding herbicides.

Poison Sumac

	botanical name Toxicodendron vernix

Poison Sumac is a tall, woody shrub that forms dense thickets in swamps and woodlands. You can quickly identify it during the winter months due to its bare, red-dappled stems. The leaves are arranged oppositely on the stem and have prominent veins.

Poison sumac grows throughout North America near water sources, such as swamp borders or lowlands where water stands for several days. It’s a native plant, but it causes problems in cultivated areas.

It has an oily, white resin called urushiol, which is toxic to humans and animals, and causes contact dermatitis. If you think you have come in contact with poison sumac, within the next two to eight hours (before any rashes develop), wash your skin with soap and cold water to remove the urushiol oils.

You can control poison sumac by cutting or mowing down its stems when they are young and weak. The sooner you catch it, though, the better.

Purslane

	botanical name Portulaca oleracea

Purslane is an annual with succulent leaves and stems. It is often found in lawns and among garden plants. Purslane has oval-shaped leaves that are attached to their brownish stems.

The most successful way to get rid of purslane is to pull it up by the roots using hand tools. Do not let purslane go to seed because it will rapidly spread. Once you have an established colony, it is very difficult to get rid of. In this case, continue pulling as it arises.

Quackgrass

	botanical name Elymus repens

A common turfgrass that also grows in non-turf areas, quackgrass can be identified by its long leaves and coarse flower heads. Its leaves are much like those of many other short grasses, and it tends to root via running rhizomes.

The plant’s root system is highly developed and deep, spreading quickly in lawns. The best way to avoid this weed is by taking preventive measures, such as regular lawn mowing. If it pops up in your garden or lawn, hand-pull it, taking care to remove the entire root system.

Ragweed

	botanical name Ambrosia artemisiifolia

Ragweed is a widespread native plant found throughout North America. The pollen of male plants is a source of allergies that affects many people, especially in the fall. It grows upright and has a large, deep taproot. This plant is recognizably different from other weeds by its flowers, which have a yellowish appearance.

Ragweed has grown to be an immensely prevalent weed often found in lawns and gardens. It’s considered an aggressive weed as it has no known natural predators, and its seeds stay dormant for years.

The most successful way to deal with ragweed is by hand-pulling small stands. Large stands are best controlled through regular mowing. Cultivate and hoe the soil constantly to eradicate any dormant plants or weeds.

Shepherd’s Purse

	botanical name Capsella bursa-pastoris

This low-growing plant is quick-growing and spreads rapidly, which makes it difficult to eradicate. Though the lifespan lasts four to six weeks, the seeds survive for years in fields.

The plant grows up to two feet tall and prefers cool soil temperatures. It’s not a difficult weed to manage or to prevent. Regularly pull the weeds before they go to seed, and your problems are solved.

Smooth Brome

	botanical name Bromus inermis

Smooth brome is a grass with long, smooth leaves and easily identifiable nodding seed heads. It grows in almost any climate and is considered a major invasive species, as it chokes out native plants. It was originally introduced to North America for the purposes of livestock fodder.

If you’re trying to identify whether or not a grass is smooth brome, look for loose, branching clusters of flowers that bloom in summer. Mowing consistently and controlled burns in spring are good control methods.

Stinging Nettle

	botanical name Urtica dioica

Stinging nettle is a perennial that is part of the Urticaceae family. The leaves of the plant grow in pairs opposite one another, with a set of smaller and larger leaves at each opposition.

These leaves are oval, serrated, with saw-like edges, and are smooth to the touch. They grow to about three to six inches. In addition, the fine hairs on the leaves cause irritation when the plant comes into contact with skin. Stinging nettle usually appears in wild areas; it spreads via stolons that root at the nodes.

The best route for removing and controlling stinging nettle is uprooting by hand. Since this weed can be quite painful to touch, wear gloves when removing it by hand.

Tall Fescue

	botanical name Lolium arundinaceum

You may have seen tall fescue amongst grass seed mixes. But tall fescue is, in fact, a noxious weed in parts of North America. It’s a perennial that has a bunch-like growth pattern. It produces dense root masses that make it hard to uproot from the ground.

Fescue lacks the essential nutrients to make it a viable fodder for livestock. You can control these weeds by digging seedlings in the early stages of growth and dethatching before planting another vigorous turf grass.