Bittercress has unique foliage that makes it is easy to identify among other container weeds. The leaflets on the foliage have a club shape, evident here on even small seedlings. Leaves of bittercress seedlings are often simple, while leaves that develop later are generally compound.
Virginia buttonweed is a prostrate-growing perennial with branching hairy stems. The leaves are elongated, lance-shaped and grow opposite one another on the stems and are joined by a membrane. Virginia buttonweed prefers moist, wet conditions. The tubular flowers of Virginia buttonweed are white to purplish, and grow in the leaf axis along the stem. Flowers resemble four-pointed stars. Virginia buttonweed spreads by seed and plant segments
Common chickweed, a winter annual, is a low-growing, succulent weed that often spreads out in extensive mats. It may survive summer in shady, cool areas that offer sufficient moisture and occurs year-round along the California coast. Seed leaves have prominent mid veins and are about four times as long as broad, tapering to a point at the tip. True leaves are broader, opposite, and yellow green. Chickweed mats may cover a large area. Stems are trailing, weak, and slender, with a line of hairs down the side. Mature leaves are ovate and opposite on the stem. Flowers are small but showy with five deeply cut white petals.
White clover is a perennial with trifoliate leaves, stems that root at the nodes, and white flowers. Leaves are composed of 3 leaflets (trifoliate). Each leaflet is egg-shaped, widest at the apex, 1/2 to 1 1/4 inches long, and has an indentation at the apex. Leaflets usually have a lighter green or white ‘V-shaped’ marking close to their base and a slightly toothed margin. Each trifoliate leaf occurs on a 1-3 inch petiole. Flowers occur on flower stalks (peduncles) that arise from the leaf axils. Each rounded flower head is round or globular in outline, approximately 1/2 to 1 1/4 inches long, and consists of 20-40 individual white flowers.
The Dandelion has a thick tap root, dark brown, almost black on the outside though white and milky within. The long jagged leaves rise directly, radiating from it to form a rosette lying close upon the ground. The shining, purplish flower-stalks rise straight from the root, are leafless, smooth and hollow and bear single heads of flowers. Dandelion seeds are carried away by the wind and travel like tiny parachutes. A strong wind can carry the seeds miles away from the parent plant.
Dogfennell, a perennial with finely dissected leaves that may reach 6 1/2 feet in height. Seeds are oval, and are without hairs. The first true leaves are opposite and subsequent leaves become finely divided like those of the mature plant.
Henbit is a winter annual with square stems and pink-purple flowers, reaching 16 inches in height. Its leaves are opposite, reaching 5 inches in length, circular to heart-shaped, with hairs on the upper leaf surfaces and along the veins of the lower surface. Leaf margins have rounded teeth. Stems root at the lower nodes, are square in cross section and are covered with downward-pointing hairs. Flowers are pink to purple in color and are fused into a tube approximately 2/3 inch long.
Lespedeza is a prostrate, freely-branched summer annual with inconspicuous purplish flowers forming mats 15 to 18 inches in diameter. Found throughout the southeast. Lespedeza has a strong, firm taproot. Its leaves consist of 3 oblong leaflets (trifoliolate), 1/2 to 3/4 inch long and 1/3 to 1/2 as wide, obtuse at apex, narrowed at the base. The stems are also firm and woody.
Oxalis, a perennial with trifoliate leaves and yellow flowers. Its leaves are arranged alternately along the stem, long-petiolated, and divided into 3 heart-shaped leaflets. Leaf margins are smooth but fringed with hairs. The stems are green to pink, weak, branched at base. The flowers occur in clusters that arise from long stalks at the leaf axils. Individual flowers consist of 5 yellow petals. The roots are long, slender rhizomes occur with a fibrous root system.
Pigweed, an erect summer annual that is prevalent in lawns during spring periods. It is most abundant during rainy periods. The leaves are alternate, light green, ovate in outline, with petioles that reach 1/2 inch in length. Leaves have wavy margins and hairs that occur along the veins of the lower leaf surfaces. Pigweed’s roots are very shallow. The roots often grow in thatch rather than in the soil. The shallow taproot is often, but not always, reddish in color.
Bittercress has unique foliage that makes it is easy to identify among other container weeds. The leaflets on the foliage have a club shape, evident here on even small seedlings. Leaves of bittercress seedlings are often simple, while leaves that develop later are generally compound.
Virginia buttonweed is a prostrate-growing perennial with branching hairy stems. The leaves are elongated, lance-shaped and grow opposite one another on the stems and are joined by a membrane. Virginia buttonweed prefers moist, wet conditions. The tubular flowers of Virginia buttonweed are white to purplish, and grow in the leaf axis along the stem. Flowers resemble four-pointed stars. Virginia buttonweed spreads by seed and plant segments
Common chickweed, a winter annual, is a low-growing, succulent weed that often spreads out in extensive mats. It may survive summer in shady, cool areas that offer sufficient moisture and occurs year-round along the California coast. Seed leaves have prominent mid veins and are about four times as long as broad, tapering to a point at the tip. True leaves are broader, opposite, and yellow green. Chickweed mats may cover a large area. Stems are trailing, weak, and slender, with a line of hairs down the side. Mature leaves are ovate and opposite on the stem. Flowers are small but showy with five deeply cut white petals.
White clover is a perennial with trifoliate leaves, stems that root at the nodes, and white flowers. Leaves are composed of 3 leaflets (trifoliate). Each leaflet is egg-shaped, widest at the apex, 1/2 to 1 1/4 inches long, and has an indentation at the apex. Leaflets usually have a lighter green or white ‘V-shaped’ marking close to their base and a slightly toothed margin. Each trifoliate leaf occurs on a 1-3 inch petiole. Flowers occur on flower stalks (peduncles) that arise from the leaf axils. Each rounded flower head is round or globular in outline, approximately 1/2 to 1 1/4 inches long, and consists of 20-40 individual white flowers.
The Dandelion has a thick tap root, dark brown, almost black on the outside though white and milky within. The long jagged leaves rise directly, radiating from it to form a rosette lying close upon the ground. The shining, purplish flower-stalks rise straight from the root, are leafless, smooth and hollow and bear single heads of flowers. Dandelion seeds are carried away by the wind and travel like tiny parachutes. A strong wind can carry the seeds miles away from the parent plant.
Dogfennell, a perennial with finely dissected leaves that may reach 6 1/2 feet in height. Seeds are oval, and are without hairs. The first true leaves are opposite and subsequent leaves become finely divided like those of the mature plant.
Henbit is a winter annual with square stems and pink-purple flowers, reaching 16 inches in height. Its leaves are opposite, reaching 5 inches in length, circular to heart-shaped, with hairs on the upper leaf surfaces and along the veins of the lower surface. Leaf margins have rounded teeth. Stems root at the lower nodes, are square in cross section and are covered with downward-pointing hairs. Flowers are pink to purple in color and are fused into a tube approximately 2/3 inch long.
Lespedeza is a prostrate, freely-branched summer annual with inconspicuous purplish flowers forming mats 15 to 18 inches in diameter. Found throughout the southeast. Lespedeza has a strong, firm taproot. Its leaves consist of 3 oblong leaflets (trifoliolate), 1/2 to 3/4 inch long and 1/3 to 1/2 as wide, obtuse at apex, narrowed at the base. The stems are also firm and woody.
Oxalis, a perennial with trifoliate leaves and yellow flowers. Its leaves are arranged alternately along the stem, long-petiolated, and divided into 3 heart-shaped leaflets. Leaf margins are smooth but fringed with hairs. The stems are green to pink, weak, branched at base. The flowers occur in clusters that arise from long stalks at the leaf axils. Individual flowers consist of 5 yellow petals. The roots are long, slender rhizomes occur with a fibrous root system.
Pigweed, an erect summer annual that is prevalent in lawns during spring periods. It is most abundant during rainy periods. The leaves are alternate, light green, ovate in outline, with petioles that reach 1/2 inch in length. Leaves have wavy margins and hairs that occur along the veins of the lower leaf surfaces. Pigweed’s roots are very shallow. The roots often grow in thatch rather than in the soil. The shallow taproot is often, but not always, reddish in color.