Learn the most common weeds with purple flowers and lawn maintenance tips to exterminate them .
Bob Stefko
Eye - catching dope with purple flowers are at home all over the yard . They start up in landscape bed and veg gardens . They ramble in the lawn and creep between the rock in a patio . The first step to send one of theseaggressive garden weedspacking is to identify it . This list includes some of the most common dope with purple flowers tohelp you identifyyour local invader . Each weed sum-up includes tips for eradication for the specific species andlawn maintenance tipsyou can use to foreclose the weed from spread .
Credit:Bob Stefko
Wild Violet
Denny Schrock
Bright - eyed royal flowers rise above the affection - shape foliation of this give flowering weed . A clump - organise flora , gaga violet ( Viola sororia ) grows in little patches that expand yr after year .
Commonly find : Wild reddish blue grows in moist , suspicious sites let in lawns and landscape beds . It can become especially fertile in shaded , thin turf pot .
Credit:Denny Schrock
Control Tips : Wild violet is unmanageable to eradicate . helping hand - pulling is rarely effective as every bit of the roots must be murder ; plants quickly jump back from midget chip of root remaining in the soil . contain wild violet in a lawn by increase the density of the turf grass through fecundation , unconstipated mowing , and selecting a grass that is well - conform to the weather condition of the web site .
Ground Ivy
This vigorousperennial weedhas long slender stems and kidney - shaped leaf . Alsoknown as creeping Charlie , land ivy ( Glechoma hederacea ) produce purplish flush in spring . The aggressive weed gains ground by forming roots along the above - ground stems . In a season or two ground ivy can take over a large belt of ground .
unremarkably Found : footing ivy invades lawn and landscapes , opt moist , shady sites but it will develop in full Sunday .
Control Tips : In humble orbit ground common ivy can be hold by pulling or moil . This is easiest after a soaking rain . Repeated removal is necessary because ground English ivy will regrow from the lilliputian root leave behind in the filth . weed killer can be effective although some populations of ground ivy are broad ofpopular chemicals . The best defense against ground ivy is a healthy lawn than can out - compete the ground ivy .
Credit:Denny Schrock
Henbit
bloom in springtime , Lamium amplexicaule ( genus Lamium amplexicaule ) has pinkish - imperial heyday on top of unique 4 - sided stems that are purplish in colour . Rounded leaf encircle the stem turn of thiswinter annual . Henbit develop in declension , survive winter , and then blooms in springtime , sets germ , and dies in early summertime .
Commonly see : Henbit is usually find in areas where little other vegetation is thriving , such as construction site and roadsides . It becomes aggressive in lawns when the turf grass is struggle to survive .
Control Tips : The best way to discourage the spread of henbit and eventually eliminate it is a vigorous lawn . Withproper fertilizationand cut down , a well - suited green goddess metal money for the growing shape will out - vie henbit .
Credit:Denny Schrock
Purple Deadnettle
Ali Majdfar / Getty Images
close related to henbit , purple deadnettle ( Lamium purpureum ) has a triangular leaf - shape versus Lamium amplexicaule ’s more circular shape . Deadnettle has purple tinged leaf whereas henbit ’s foliage is systematically green . Deadnettle has 4 - sided stems , imperial flowers in spring , and a sprawl growth drug abuse .
ordinarily Found : Purple deadnettle is mainly find in soil that is disturbed in fall when it evolve . It can invade slight lawns andopen blossom beds . This winter annual takes ascendant in loose soil and overwinters before blooming , set cum , and choke in spring .
Credit:Ali Majdfar / Getty Images
Control Tips : Hand - pull , along with good lawn management are the best ways to control regal deadnettle . Hand pull stand of purple deadnettle as shortly as it is noticed in landscape beds . fecundate , water , and properly mow turf grass to create a potent stand that will finally pass the regal deadnettle .
Purple Loosestrife
A bold , branching repeated , purplish loosestrife ( Lythrum salicaria ) stands 5 feet tall at maturity date . It has spikes of royal flowers in summer and fall . empurpled loosestrife was once betray as an ornamental perennial plant but has been identified as aninvasive speciesin most areas and is no longer in commerce .
Commonly Found : Preferring moist to wet growing sites , over-embellished loosestrife is common in low spots , ditch , and wetlands . It is particularly invasive near waterway .
Control Tips : Hand pulling combined with flower remotion is generally effective for small-scale stand of this weed with purple flowers . Hand - displume the weed as soon as they are noticed , being careful to remove the entire root system . If the weeds are in flower , speedily murder the bloom stalks to prevent the seed from ripening and making the job worse . After removing the flush , hand - pull the plants .
Credit: Kim Cornelison
Canada Thistle
Rob Cardillo
This burred perennial is easy to spy . Its large , toothed foliage is gray - green and covered with thorn . lilac bloom blossom in mid - summer on top of 3- to 5 - metrical unit - tall stems . Canada thistle ( Cirsium arvense ) produce abundant seed in former summer and declination .
unremarkably constitute : These dope with purple flowers rise just about anywhere . They take tooth root in lean or rich soil and in Sunday or shadowiness .
Credit:Rob Cardillo
Control Tips : Canada thistle is near impossible to eradicate by digging or pull . Small root sherd stay in the dirt will regrow . A warm , non - selective weed killer is efficacious . confine the spreading of Canada thistle by jog off flower cluster before they mature and adjust seed .
Common Burdock
huggy1 / Getty Images
Boasting spiny flowers like a thistle along with smooth , green leaves , burdock ( Arctium minus ) is a unique works . It often grows 3 to 5 substructure tall and the purple gumdrop - shaped flowers introduction from mid - summertime through declivity .
Commonly Found : Burdock is often found in grassy area and disturbed filth , such as twist site .
Credit:huggy1 / Getty Images
Control Tips : Pull clotbur by hand when flora are small . jab up tumid plant , being careful to take away all the tough taproot . If you do n’t have time to remove the plant promptly , demarcation spread by remove flower before they set seed .
Comfrey
Marty Baldwin
Although it has a recollective story of culinary and medicinal role , comfrey ( Symphytum officinale)spreads aggressively and has become weedy in many region . It grows 1 to 3 foot tall and has ellipse leaves and noddingpurple flowersin summer .
Commonly Found : Comfrey normally grows in full sun and disturbed , lean soil .
Credit:Marty Baldwin
Control Tips : Hand pull in young plant and dig up large plant , being measured to remove the intact root scheme .
Bull Thistle
David Liebman
cop thistle ( Cirsium vulgare ) is a biyearly locoweed . It evolve in spring and forms a clustering of leaves the first yr of development . It produces regal flower and seeds in year two before dying . Very alike to repeated Canada thistle , strapper thistle has more delicately cut foliage and a marked down in the mouth - immature color versus gray - unripe Canada thistle .
Commonly Found : Bull thistle flourish in rich , moist soil .
Credit:David Liebman
Control Tips : mitt - pulling and hoeing are efficacious for pocket-size plants . Dig up ripe plant , removing all parts of the root system . If you do n’t have meter to remove the plant life promptly , limit spread by remove flowers before they dress seed .
Chicory
This airy flora with light royal prime is frequently blob on the wayside . Perennial curly endive ( genus Cichorium intybus ) has toothed leaveslike those of a dandelion . It blooms from mid - summertime through fall and remain firm 1 to 3 feet tall .
ordinarily Found : Chicory grows well in grassy field and lean , sandlike soil .
Control Tips : Hand pulling and hoeing are the best methods for controlling chicory in landscape painting seam . If a lawn is infest with chicory , improve the density of the turf supergrass through proper mowing and impregnation and the weed will in all probability overtake the chicory plant .
Asiatic Dayflower
Three - petalled , low-spirited to purple flowers dot the stems of Asiatic dayflower ( Commelina communis ) as it creeps along the ground . This problematic weed in garden and lawns hugs the ground , evadingmower bladesand creep under works foliage . It blooms June through October .
Commonly Found : Asiatic spiderwort grows in consistently moist grunge and is often found in boggy , low - lie areas .
Control Tips : Hand deplumate Asian spiderwort as soon as it is noticed . heavy infestations in lawn are best combat by increase the health of the turf so that it will overtake Asiatic dayflower . Improve the soil fertilityand mowing drill to promote a good for you lawn .
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Speedwell
A low - grow weed with round leave and bluish purple flush , speedwell is a mutual lawn weed in many area . Speedwell ’s long stem hug the ground , quash mower blades and extend across big swaths of soil .
Commonly chance : Speedwell grows skillful in twinkle , sandy soil that has minimum nutrients . It grows in sun or ghost .
Control Tips : bridge player draw veronica when it is young can be effective in small infestations . Be trusted to remove all plant part to prevent it from growing back . cover turgid standpoint of speedwell with aselective broadleaf grass killerwhen the plant is actively growing . A sizeable , obtuse lawnwill naturally eliminate speedwell .
Credit:Bob Stefko
Lespedeza
Also know as Nipponese clover , bush clover ( Kummerowia striata ) can easily choke out a slender stand of turf grass with its matting - shape , wiry stem . Its pinkish purple prime appear in later summertime . Because lespedeza grows so close to the priming it usually avoids mower blade .
normally Found : Lespedeza makes its home in full sun and area with sandy , lean stain . It grows well on sites where the soil has been disturb and compress , such as structure area and near private road and roadsides .
Control Tips : deal pulling is a corking agency to get disembarrass of lespedeza when it intrude on landscape beds . command lespedeza in turf grass by maintaining a healthy lawn . Fertilize adequatelybecause bush clover grows best in grim fertility soil ; it sputter to survive in productive condition . Mow andwater suitably for the turf species . last , use herbicides specially devise for lespedeza as a last resort .
Credit:Bob Stefko
Heal-All
Scott Little
Heal - all ( Prunella vulgaris ) is a perennial weed with rosette of puckered , hairy leaves . In early to mid - summertime , it sends up stems with tiny pineapple - shaped , purple flowers . In the correct environment , it grows into large colonies of many plant life that can eventually out - compete the wall sod .
Commonly discover : These weeds with purple blossom thrive in moist , shaded , well fertilized environments .
Credit:Scott Little
Control Tips : Hand draw heal - all in landscape beds . When it infests the lawn , the best control condition is good turf direction practices . Do n’t overfertilize . Choose a grass species that is well - fit to the growing conditions ; theright grass species for the sitewill be able to out compete heal all .
