Weeds Chapter 7 Section VII of the Pest Bear & Affiliates Service Personnel Development Program , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Introduction Weed control is probably the most challenging part of pest control. It requires an intimate knowledge of the plants and the selection of a control process may become extremely difficult due to the variety of desired plants which may be in the vicinity. Before attempting weed control, it is paramount to your success to properly identify the target weed. Always remember that a weed is simply “a plant out of phase with man” and one persons weed may be a desired plant to some one else , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Dandelion Yellow Woodsorrel White Clover Pennywort Nutsedge Introduction In order to develop the identification of weeds, we have selected groups of plants which will be presented in several weed identification groups , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved Bull Thistle Timothy Foxtail Barnyardgrass Goosegrass Crabgrass Quackgrass Canada Thistle Ground Ivy Spurge

Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale Perennial with long tap root reproduces by seed Stems short arising from a rosette bearing oblong, lobed, narrow leaves Large yellow flowers mature in round puffballs full of seeds Seed distributed by wind for miles Mostly germinates during late summer controlled by mechanical and chemical means , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Yellow Woodsorrel (Oxalis Stricta) Annual to short lived perennial Upright, with single tap root Spreads by seed leaves of three, heart shaped, pale green and bitter to taste due to the presence of oxalic acid Bright yellow flowers have five petals Prolific seed producer Pods will scatter seed for several feet when touched , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

White Clover (Trifolium repens) Perennial legume More common in nitrogen deficient lawns and in years with excessive moisture Leaves have three leaflets with white water marks Creeping stems are very aggressive and root at the nodes White flowers sometimes seen with a tinge of pink are a favorite of bees Seeds may live in soil for 20 years , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Pennywort (Hydrocotvie sp.) Also called Dollar Weed A Perennial weed Grows from rhizomes, tubers and seed Erect leaves with scalloped margins on a long petiole in the center of an umbrella like leaf Found in moist to wet sites Most common in Transition Zone in the South Control of moisture is critical to regular maintenance program , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Nutsedge (Cyperus sp) Also known as nutgrass, but is not a grass Perennial, reproduces by seed and nut like tubers on roots Stems are erect and triangular Leaves 3-ranked, narrow, grass-like basal Seed on unmowed plants arranged in narrow spiklets Yellow nutsedge has single fleshy tubers on ends of roots Purple nutsedge has string of tubers on wiry rhizomes , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) A biennial which grows into a rosette Has large, fleshy, coarsely-toothed spiny leaves In the second year, will have a woody, flowering stalk Produces a few, rose-purple blossoms Produces less flowers than Canada Thistle All flowers are fertile , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Timothy (Phelum pratense) A tufted biennial Tends to persist as a perennial Sharply pointed leaves roll into a bud Ligule is distinctly notched The bulbous crown area of the base of the stem resembles an onion A reddish color at the base There is no selective means of control , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Foxtail (Setaria sp.) An annual grass that germinates about the same time as crabgrass found in sun and partial shade Erect round stem with leaves rolled into a bud Prominent ligule, blades flat with long sparse hairs Sheaths may be reddish at the base Seed head is bristly and spike-like Green, yellow, bristly and knotroot foxtail are all in same genus , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crusgalli) A coarse bladed annual grass Leaves roll into a blade and sheaths are flat and compressed Sheaths are red to purple at the base There is no ligule A panicle seed head with barbed spikelets and awns Unmowed will grow to 2 feet or more Common in open areas germinates late in the season , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Goosegrass ( Eleusine indica) An annual grass with rosette of flat stems Usually silvery at the center Leaves are folded with stems overlapping A membranous ligule with sparse hair on the collar Seed heads form 2-10 finger- like spikes, broader than crabgrass Germinates later than crabgrass Persists under close mowing, even on golf courses , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Crabgrass (Digitaria sp.) True annuals Germinates from seed at 55-60º for five consecutive nights Yellow-green leaves rolled into a bud with hairy edges, coarse texture and broad collar Blade flat with sharp point Seed head with 3-10 fingers May appear purple or tan Declines after seeding with shorter days Eliminated by frost Found throughout the US and mostly in sunny areas , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Quackgrass (Agopyron repens) Blue-green rough bladed perennial Reproduces by seeds and aggressive rhizomes Erect stems Leaves rolled into a bud and have a hairy sheath A membranous ligule with very prominent clasping auricles Has a spiked seed head which resembles perennial ryegrass Spreads throughout the lawn from ornamental beds Very difficult to control , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense) Tough perennial Grows from seed and aggressive rhizomes Oblong leaves are lobed with spiny toothed margins Small lavender to rose colored flowers are found on 1-5 foot stems Invades lawns through ornamental beds Plants from rhizomes tend to be singular and scattered in patches Very difficult to control Requires a persistent control program , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Ground Ivy (Glecoma hederacea) Perennial plant Member of the mint family and has square stem and distinct odor Reproduces by seeds and creeping stems which root at the nodes Forms dense patches in sun or shade Has opposite leaves with scalloped edges Leaves are rough on the upper side Flowers are trumpet shaped and purple in color Flowers in the spring , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Spurge (Euphorbia maculata) A summer annual Germinates from seed when the soil is 55ºF and continues all summer Small, oval, opposite leaves Vary from green to red with a brown blotch on upper surface Reddish, low growing stems that fan out from a tap root Form dense mats of vegetation Milky sap is sticky Each plant may produce several thousand seed Plants mature in matter of days in hot weather , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

It is Important to Know If the plant is an annual or perennial If the plant reproduces by seed, tuber, or rhizome What the plant stem and leaves look like What the Flower, if any, looks like How does the plant dissimulate When is the primary germination period Can the plant be controlled mechanically or with chemicals , Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved