WEEDS!

There seems to be a lot of talk in the air about weeds in lawns, in planters and everywhere. As you may have noticed, the ‘weather will bring a different weed with every Fall, Winter and Spring. 1 thought a picture would help identify what you see. So I borrowed some pictures from The Weed Gallery. You ‘would be surprised at how pretty they can be but like relatives, they stay ard stay and stay. They are obnoxious, get into things without permission, etc. But Dr. Chris Profeta the weed man, has a prescription.

BLACK MEDIC:
Scientific name: Medicago lupulina (Family Fabaceae) Black medic, a member of the clover family, is a low-growingannual but Sometimes behaves as a perennial. Stems are hairy and branch at the base; branches are prostrate and spreading. Seed leaves are oblong. The first true leaf is simple and rounded. Subsequent leaves are compound and have 3 egg shaped leaflets with somewhat toothed margins Flowers are small and yellow and are arranged in short, spherical heads.

BUTTERCUP OXALIS:
Scientific name: Oxalis pes-caprae (Family Oxalidaceae) Buttercup oxalis (Bermuda buttercup) is sometimes grown as an ornamental. It has compound leaves, each consisting of three heart-shaped leaflets resembling clover leaves. Flowers are attractive, bit are a nuisance when they spread into gardens or shrubs like this juniper (pictured here). Flowers occur singly or in clusters on the ends of slender leaf stalks; cach flower has 5 yellow petals. This species closely resembles woodsorrel but often grows more upright, has more showy flowers, and reproduces largely by bulbs.

BUTTERCUP OXALIS:
Scientific name: Oxalis pes-caprae (Family Oxalidaceae) Buttercup oxalis (Bermuda buttercup) is sometimes grown as an ornamental. It has compound leaves, each consisting of three heart-shaped leaflets resembling clover leaves. Flowers are attractive, bit are a nuisance when they spread into gardens or shrubs like this juniper (pictured here). Flowers occur singly or in clusters on the ends of slender leaf stalks; cache flower has 5 yellow petals. This species closely resembles woodsorrel but often grows more upright, has more showy flowers, and reproduces largely by bulbs.

CREEPING WOODSORREL:
Scientific name: Oxalis comiculata (Family Oxalidaceae) Creeping woodsorrel i a perennial that has alternate, compound leaves, each consisting of three heart-shaped leaflets resembling clover. Attractive yellow flowers, borne singly or in small groups, are very characteristic. The mature plant has creeping stems emerging from a slender taproot. The stems root at the nodes and invade larger areas. When seeds mature, pods open explosively, often spreading seeds 10 feet (300 cm) or more. Oxalis prefers shady situations. Creeping woodsorrel resembles buttercup oxalis, but the flowers are not as large and showy and the growth is less upright.

DANDELION:
Scientific name: Taraxacum officinale (Family Asteraceae) Dandelion is a widely distributed perennial weed. The mature plant arises from a strong, deep taproot that exudes a milky substance when cut. There is no visible stem. Leaves are sparsely hairy or without hairs, have deeply serrated margins, and are clustered in a rosette at the base of the plant. Dandelion can reproduce from seed almost year-round or it can regrow from its taproot. Bright yellow flower heads, 1 to 2 inches (2.5 – 5 cm) across, consist of petal-like ray flowers and are borne singly on the tip of a hollow stalk, 3 to 12 inches (7.5 – 30 cm) long. Seeds are enclosed singly within fruiting bodies and are attached to a long. slender stalk that terminates in a parachute-like structure called a pappus. Seeds are transported in the wind. The bristles on the seeds can clog cultivation equipment.  

COMMON PURSLANE:
Scientific name: Portulaca oleracea (Family Portulacaceac) Common purslane is an annual that grows rapidly in spring and summer. It thrives under dry conditions but also competes well in irrigated situations. Plants prefer loose, nutrient rich, sandy soil. The mature plant may form a mat or grow up to a foot tall.  The plant branches at the base and along the stems. Leaves are very succulent, often tinged red, and wedge-shaped. They are opposite or alternate along the stem and are without petioles. Small yellow flowers are born singly or in clusters of two or three in stem axils or at tips of stems. Flowers usually open only on sunny mornings. Purslane seeds are very tiny and produced in abundance.

WHITE CLOVER:
Scientific name: Trifolium repens (Family Fabaceae) White clover is a creeping perennial plant that can be a problem when it invades orchards, vineyards, and other agricultural crops, as well as lawns and planting beds. The leaf consists of three leaflets that are 1/4 to 1/2 inch (0.6 – 1.2 cm) long, Each leaflet may have a whitish circular band within the center. The flowers form a ball-shaped cluster. A closely related species, strawberry clover (T. fragiferum) has pink flowers. Both species root at the nodes (joints in the stem) and form large clumps. Mature plants have branching stems 4 to 12 inches (10 – 30 cm) long. The first true leaves of the seedling are round.

CREEPING SPURGE:
Scientific name: Chamaesyce Serpens (Family Euphorbiaceac) Creeping spurge is a perennial weed with spreading, prostrate stems. The roundish leaves are hairless and light green with no distinct markings, unlike spotted spurge, C. maculata. Leaves are arranged oppositely along the stem. Creeping spurge has milky, sticky sap. Small maroon glands   are often mistaken for seed pods.

SHEPHERD’S PURSE:
Scientific name: Capella bursa-pastoris (Family Brassicaceac) Shepherd’s-purse is a cool season annual weed, but may grow all year in cool coastal areas of California. Seed leaves are pale green with tiny granules on the surface. The first true leaves.

BROADLEAF PLANTAIN:
Scientific name: Plantago major (Family Plantaginaceac) Broadleaf plantain is a perennial weed that grows in areas of inconsistent irrigation. Leaves are smooth and oval and they narrow 10 a well-defined reddish petiole. Leaf blades are large, 3 to 6 inches (7.5 – 15 cm) long, with prominent veins. Roots are fibrous and shallow. Flowers are produced on stalks, 3 10 6 inches (7.5 – 15 cm) in length. Broadleaf plantain can be distinguished from buckhorn plantain by the broader leaf and shorter inflorescence stalks.

SOWTHISTLE:
Scientific name: Sonchus spp. (Family Asteraceae) Sowthistles are among the most common weeds in farms and gardens in spring. They can be seen at any time of the year in mild climates, but commonly germinate from late fall to early spring with the highest numbers of mature plants present in spring and early summer. The sowthistle seedling has markedly stalked, almost spoon-shaped seed leaves, rounded at the tip. The seed leaves often have a grayish powdery 2 bloom, but later leaves have only a “few hairs. Later leaves have prickles or teeth along the margin with a winged stalk on the third or fourth and later true leaves. Flowers are yellow and mature into fluffy white seed heads. Stems are hollow and exude a milky juice when cut open.