A lawn invaded by more weeds than grass looks unsightly. These weeds, especially the most invasive ones, never care about the areas they’re growing. Once they invade your lawn, they compete for water, nutrients, and sunlight with your grass. That’s why it’s crucial to identify and eliminate them as soon as possible. Let’s discuss the most common weeds in Alabama lawns.
The most common weeds in Alabama include nutsedge, bindweed, crabgrass, dallisgrass, white clover, chickweed, moss, and dandelion. These types of weeds in Alabama spread aggressively by rhizomes, taking over grass and disturbing the ecosystem. Although some of these weeds are invasive, most are not dangerous, and you can control them with herbicides.
10 Common Lawn Weeds in Alabama
Although there can be dozens of weeds in Alabama, the following Alabama weeds are the most common:
1. Nutsedge
Nutsedge, also called nutgrass or cyperus rotundus, is among the most common Alabama weeds. It is a perennial weed with pointed, bright green leaves and yellow flowers. The weed thrives in moist soil and spreads rapidly throughout gardens and yards. It is challenging to control this weed as it has multiple nut-like tubers.
2. Bindweed
Bindweed, or morning glory, is another problematic common weed in Alabama. It has creeping stems that grow over grass and along the ground. The weed is difficult to control due to its extensive root system.
3. Crabgrass
Crabgrass thrives in Florida’s compacted soil and is triggered by hot weather. Therefore, the weed grows aggressively after summer and becomes challenging to eradicate. However, you can manage crabgrass with regular mowing, aeration, and herbicides.
4. Dallisgrass
Dallisgrass is one of the most common weeds Alabama that is hardest to eradicate from lawns. It takes several years to eliminate this weed with pre and post-emergent herbicides. In most cases, your yard requires a complete renovation when infested with dallisgrass.
5. White clover
This is a perennial broadleaf and creeping weed with small white flowers. When you crush its leaves, you can easily identify clover by its unique odor. It germinates rapidly and thrives in lawns and gardens with moist soil.
6. Chickweed
Chickweed is a creeping lawn weed that thrives in winter and moist areas. Once the weed’s seeds contact the soil in cool temperatures, they germinate rapidly, overtaking large patches of lawns. You can identify this weed by its tiny white flowers and the mats of greenery it forms on the ground.
7. Moss
Moss spreads aggressively through spores and flourishes in shady, damp acidic soils. Its greenery softens the wooded landscapes and rocky streams, making walking difficult for people.
8. Dandelion
Dandelions are common Alabama weeds with deeply notched, toothy, and hairless leaves. They have bright yellow flowers, which turn into white puffballs once they mature. The weeds germinate quickly and aggressively and have a deep root system, making them difficult to control.
9. Bittercress
You can identify Bittercress by looking at their tiny white flowers, which grow at the weed’s stem. By the look of its white flowers that blend well with the dark green stem, the weed looks attractive.
The weed spreads on the ground fast. It has 2-4 small leaves that do not have a defined pattern. As the name suggests, the weed has a bitter taste. It thrives in Alabama because it loves sunny and moist environments.
To block its spread, you need to maintain your grass by mowing it regularly.
10. Goosegrass
This common Alabama weed is characterized by thick and healthy stems, pointed seed heads, and flattened leaves that once grown, develop into 2 to 13-finger spikes.
Goosegrass has a strong root system, making it hard to pull out. It tends to thrive in areas known to have compacted soil. In addition, you can get goosegrass in areas with no vegetation.
NB. One Goosegrass finger spike can produce up to 50,000 seeds!
Common Weeds in Alabama (FAQs)
Q: What are the broadleaf weeds in Alabama?
A: Broadleaf weeds are the most common types of weeds in Alabama yards. These weeds include chickweed, dollar weed, clover, and dandelion. These plants have flat, broad leaves, emerging in pairs from the weed’s stalk.
Q: What are the worst invasive Alabama lawn weeds?
A: The most invasive weeds in Alabama lawns and gardens include Cogon grass, Tallow tree, tropical soda apple, and Chinese privet. These weeds grow aggressively and are a threat to the ecosystem. Therefore, you must control them when you discover their existence on your lawn.
Bottom Line
Discovering weeds in your lawn is annoying as they’re never a good sight. But before you apply any herbicide to your property, it’s vital to determine the weeds you have in your lawn.
The most common weeds in Alabama lawns include nutsedge, bindweed, crabgrass, dallisgrass, white clover, chickweed, moss, and dandelion. Although most of these are invasive, they are less dangerous, and you can control them with the correct herbicides.
