At first glance, these light-colored lawn weeds might be mistaken for white flowers. But I have found that if I look closely, sometimes those white flowers aren’t so colorless after all. They are lawn weeds with pink flowers! If you need help identifying these weeds that have pink flowers then you have come to the right place. Below I’m going to talk about 6 of the most common lawn weeds with pink flowers.
Most Common Lawn Weeds with Pink Flowers (Short Answer)
Dove’s Foot Cranesbill, Herb Robert, and Rosebay Willowherb are common weeds that have pink flowers. Selfheal, Bindweed, and Henbit are lawn weeds with little pink flowers that can quickly overtake your lawn.
A Closer Look at Lawn Weeds with Pink Flowers
Although pink comes across as a very non-threatening color, some of these weeds can be very destructive to your lawn. One of these pink weeds is so invasive that once established, it requires you to pull up and replace all affected turf. To avoid a costly lawn restoration, pay attention to how to remove these lawn weeds that have pink flowers and get rid of them as soon as you notice them in your yard.
Dove’s Foot Cranesbill (Geranium molle)
What It Does: A low-growing invasive plant, Dove’s Foot Cranesbill is an annual lawn weed. It never grows much taller than a foot and is most common on lawns that have been mown too short. These weeds that have pink flowers grow in patches that can make a lawn look uneven. When Dove’s Foot Cranesbill dies off in the fall, it produces seed pods that explode and launch up to 1,500 seeds.
What It Looks Like: Hiding amongst the turf, Dove’s Foot Cranesbill grows in clumps of stems. It has rounded basal leaves (leaves lowest on the stem) that are slightly hairy. Each leaf has a distinct lobe and 5-7 leaf points. The flowers of this lawn weed are bright pink and bloom in sets of one and two throughout the leaves. The flowers are about half an inch and have jagged ends.
How to Get Rid of It: The best way to handle Dove’s Foot Cranesbill is to keep your lawn moist, well-fertilized, and cut to the appropriate height. If you have a small patch of these weeds that have pink flowers then you can hand pull them before they produce their seeds. If you have a larger infestation you will need to use selective herbicide with a repeat application six weeks later.
Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)
What It Does: This lawn weed is highly adaptive and can thrive in a number of lawn conditions. Herb Robert kills off surrounding turf and grows low and fast. This herb weed has a pungent odor when crushed and grows through winter and spring. The seeds are formed in pods and when the weeds die, the seeds are shot up to 20ft away. This can lead to larger infestations the following winter.
What It Looks Like: To recognize these lawn weeds with little pink flowers look for dark green, hairy leaves and stems if in shade, and in full sun red spots on the leaves and stem. They can grow to be 20 inches tall and have shallow roots. The flowers are pink and have 5 petals.
How to Get Rid of It: Due to its weak root system, Herb Robert is easy to hand pull. Since this plant produces seeds early in the year, you will want to get them out of the ground right away. If you missed a patch, you can apply herbicide to the patches and treat the area to promote thicker turf.
Rosebay Willowherb (Rosebay Willowherb)
What It Does: This lawn weed can blow into your yard from a great distance thanks to the little parachutes the seeds have. This plant can group together and spread along open spaces and recently disturbed ground. Each Rosebay Willowherb produces 80,000 seeds and germinates in high heat and near bonfires.
What It Looks Like: These lawn weeds with pink flowers have a thick upright stem that can reach nearly 5ft. The leaves are green and slant out of the stem in a spiral arrangement. The five-petaled, pink flowers grow up the large floral spike.
How to Get Rid of It: Rosebay Willowherb produces so many seeds that it quickly gets out of control and it is also highly resistant to herbicides. If there is an existing patch, you can cut off the heads of the plants before they produce seeds. Mow it short and then cover the area around it and any seedlings with black plastic. Remove all parts of these weeds from your lawn and do not compost.
Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris)
What It Does: One of the hardest weeds to remove from your lawn, Selfheal thrives on turf that has been trimmed too low. It uses its creeping runners (rhizomes) that root at intervals to spread throughout your lawn. Any kind of foot traffic or disturbance on this weed can cause it to root at the stem nodes and multiply faster. It continues to grow until it restricts the growth of your lawn and in extreme cases, your turf must be removed to fully eradicate it.
What It Looks Like: A member of the mint family, Selfheal has dark green leaves that can have a purple tinge to them in optimal conditions. The stems are green, square, and smooth, and roots easily at the nodes. This produces a thick matted-root system that is hard to separate from your turf’s. It produces pink to purplish blooms about half an inch high.
How to Get Rid of It: If found very early on, repeated attempts at hand pulling can result in removing this lawn weed. Simultaneously, you should nourish your lawn to promote thickening and a stronger root system. A selective herbicide can be used to spot-treat areas of extreme infestation.
Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
What It Does: As the name suggests, this is one of those weeds that have pink flowers that can really mess up your lawn. They produce long thin vines that spread across the ground, up structures, and around any plant or object in their path. Each plant can produce up to 500 seeds and it remains hidden until the flowers bloom in mid-summer. Underground, it produces deep root networks that can extend onto neighboring properties. Buds and breaks allow new plants to grow anywhere along that network. This lawn weed will smother your turf if not destroyed.
What It Looks Like: In the early stages, Bindweed produces a thin green vine and arrow-shaped leaves. It twists and climbs throughout your yard and visibly latches onto other plants and structures. It produces a bright pink or white flower that is shaped like a trumpet.
How to Get Rid of It: Hand removal of these lawn weeds with pink flowers is pretty much impossible. Broadleaf herbicides will need to be used to rid your lawn of these invaders. Products containing 2, 4-D, dicamba, and MCPP (Trimec) can be used. Triclopyr is also an option.
Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule)
What It Does: Henbit grows prostrate and spreads during the winter. They are spread by root nodes and can reproduce by seed. Each plant can produce more than 2,000 seeds. If these lawn weeds with little pink flowers are trampled, they can reroot and grow new stems. Because henbit grows low and produces small flowers, it can avoid being mown and go unnoticed until it has spread to a large section of lawn. As it dies off in the summer, it can leave brown patches throughout your lawn.
What It Looks Like: Henbit has thin, square stems that start upright but often sprawl along the ground. These stems start off green but can turn purple later in the plant’s life. They produce round or heart-shaped leaves that are further apart at the base of the plant and closer together at the top. The leaves are green with a wrinkled appearance and are connected to the stem by a short stalk with the lower leaves and no stalk higher up. The pink flowers of this lawn weed burst out of the upper leaf axils and bloom in the early spring.
How to Get Rid of It: Henbit is not a highly competitive weed so promoting thick turf and discouraging dry disturbed areas should be enough to prevent these lawn weeds with pink flowers from taking over. If you do develop a small invasion you can hand pull them and as long as your lawn is herbicide-free, boil them and eat them (that’s right, it’s edible!). If you want to control them with chemicals you can use a broadleaf herbicide and follow up with a 6-week reapplication. Remove any remaining dead weeds to prevent regrowth the following season.
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