A green lawn is something that everyone would have, but if that green has some weeds in it? Would the lawn still be beautiful? Absolutely NOT!
So, get those weeds uprooted right away before they rise and shine. What if you are unable to identify weeds? After all, weeds are common plants that you would observe around you.
Yet, if you pay close attention, you will see that weeds in your garden have spread more widely than other plants. Additionally, compared to other flora, their colony is substantially denser.
It is crucial to identify weeds correctly to eliminate them promptly. And as ace gardeners, we understand how important it is for you to get rid of these pesky plants to keep your garden in good shape.
So if you live in Ohio and are worrying about weed-attack lately, here is a list of some of the most common weeds in the region.
Top 12 Weeds in Ohio
Weeds can creep in anytime, whether summer, spring, fall, or winter. Although, we mostly get bothered by these plants when the temperature of the air increases. But believe us, some weeds can colonize your garden when it is cold outdoors.
Being proactive is the best way to prevent your lawn from becoming swamped by weeds. And the only way to be proactive is to identify weeds actively.
The first step is understanding what you’re up against, so we’ve created a list of common weeds found in Ohio. Prepare yourself for a weedy journey, then!
1. Apple of Peru
| Leaves | Full, ragged leaves |
| Stems | Branched |
| Flower | Light violet, bell-shaped |
| Habitat | Vegetable fields, lawns |
Ohio is home to the noxious weed known as the apple of Peru. This weed is a nightshade or tomato family member and reproduces exclusively by seed.
The apple of Peru blossoms two to three times in the summer and grows from spring to October.
This weed is primarily found in agricultural fields if there is enough rain. Despite being regarded as a weed, people frequently put leaves on their skin to ward off flies.
Issue:
A powerful seed-borne propagator. This weed frequently impedes the growth of vegetable and soybean crops by competing with them.
2. Canada Thistle
| Alternative Name | Corn thistle. Curse thistle, perennial thistle, prickly thistle, lettuce from hell thistle, etc. |
| Leaves | Spiny, lobed, and up to 15–20 cm long |
| Stems | Slender and freely branched |
| Flower | Violet and large blooms |
| Habitat | Croplands, pastures, roadsides, lawns, and non-crop places |
The Canada thistle is an invasive weed across Ohio. It is a perennial blooming plant from the family Asteraceae.
This weed, commonly known as the creeping thistle, attracts pollinators with its sweet nectar, facilitating the spread of the seeds.
Issue:
An aggressively spreading invasive weed is the Canada thistle. It makes a lawn spiky as well as uncared for. The spikes on this plant can cause severe pain if you step on them barefoot or brush up against them.
In addition, this weed prevents the growth of nearby plants by shadowing them, stealing their nutrients from the soil, and releasing chemical poisons. Therefore, you should get rid off Canada Thistle as soon as possible.
3. Grapevines (Wild)
| Leaves | Orbicular leaves with big circular lobes |
| Stems | Twisted and vining Green and smooth (young) Woody and brown (when matured) |
| Flower | Elongated clusters of tiny white blossoms |
| Habitat | Roadsides, fence rows, forest edges, and river banks |
Wild grapes appear to be equally delectable as farmed grapes. What distinguishes them is their voracious spread. Wild grapes can grow to be as tall as 50 feet. They also develop tough, woody root systems that can last for years.
Issue:
Wild grapes are zealous spreaders and equally robust. They are not generally noxious, but they can be if they proliferate in clusters of 100 or more and are not kept.
4. Johnsongrass
| Leaves | Long grass-like |
| Stems | Smooth, long, pink to rust at the base |
| Habitat | Crop fields, pastures, bare fields, forest edges, ditches, and wetlands |
Johnsongrass belongs to the Poaceae family and is a rhizomatous grass weed. Johnsongrass is native to Asia and northern Africa and has been introduced in almost all corners of the globe except Antarctica.
This grass weed can grow up to 8 feet and spread via seeds and rhizomes.
Issue:
One of the most serious difficulties with Johnsongrass is its aggressive spread. This plant is dangerous because of its capacity to develop from seeds and rhizomes.
This weed may quickly develop dense colonies and easily displace native vegetation.
You’ll be surprised that a single plant may produce over 80,000 seeds and 275 feet of root systems in a single growing season.
Also Read: 10 Types of weeds in Minnesota | Guide to Spot them
5. Oxeye Daisy
| Leaves | Spoon-shaped, broadly toothed 2 to 5 inches long and 2 inches wide |
| Stems | Slender and erect 1 to 3 feet tall |
| Flowers | Solitary flower heads 15-30 white ray florets |
| Habitat | Fields, grasslands, pastures, waste areas, disturbed areas, open woods, and meadows |
Oxeye Daisy is an invasive species in North America, a herbaceous perennial weed in the aster family. It can reach a height of 31 inches above the ground and develop creeping root systems beneath the topsoil.
A mature oxeye daisy plant can produce up to 26,000 seeds, which can spread via animals, water, cars, and other means.
Issue:
The biggest problem with weed is that it generates a massive number of seeds, contributing to its rapid spread. Although oxeye daisy flowers are adorable, they have the potential to create dense colonies, reduce total plant diversity, and alter the existing plant ecology.
Also, if not checked, replacing 50% of the grass species in meadows is a piece of cake for this weed. Furthermore, there will be viral illnesses among nearby plants where there are oxeye daisy plants.
6. Wild Carrot
| Leaves | Basal, bristly, and alternate in a pinnate pattern 2–6 in long |
| Stems | Erect, hairy, hollow with a reddish tint at the base |
| Habitat | Grassland, cliffs, roadsides, meadows, grasslands, railroads, etc. |
Carrots are nutritious crops that we all like growing on our lawns. What about wild carrots, though? Wild carrots, sometimes known as Queen Anne’s lace in the United States, are flowering plants in the Apiaceae family.
Wild carrots produce blossoms from the beginning of the growing season until the first frost, and a single plant can generate 1,000 to 40,000 seeds in a single growing season.
Issue:
If you let wild carrots on your lawn, you can be certain that your other plants and grass will go hungry. However, when it comes to fighting for soil nourishment, wild carrots can go completely insane.
The plant’s leaves also contain allergens and can cause skin discomfort. And if you have cattle, keep them away from wild carrots because it is reported that consuming too many wild carrots leads cows to produce sour milk.
Also Read: Weeds in Florida: Types, Identification, and Many More
7. Ground Ivy
| Other Names | Creeping Charlie |
| Leaves | Kidney-shaped |
| Stems | Four-sized Low growing and creeping/ vining |
| Flower | Purple |
| Habitat | Moist and shaded regions |
In the spring, ground ivy is one of the first plants to sprout on your lawn. Because it is a member of the mint family, crushing its leaves produces a strong odor. In addition, this weed is extremely tough, invasive, and can flourish in the shade and full sun.
Although this weed is not as dangerous as its cousin poison ivy, consuming too much of it can produce harmful reactions in animals, particularly horses.
Issue:
Ground Ivy can thrive in nearly any environment, making it a tough weed. As a result, removing mature ground ivy or creeping charlie will provide significant obstacles.
The worst part is that this weed is tough enough to survive even close to mowing. So, as soon as you spot this weed, pull it up. This is critical because, after they have colonized your lawn, the only option is to seek expert assistance.
8. Dandelion
| Leaves | Basal growing from the base of hollow stems Deeply toothed |
| Stems | Long, slender, and cylindrical |
| Flowers | Flower heads with golden rays, and puffy white seed heads |
| Habitat | Lawns, roadways, orchards, vineyards, sidewalks, etc. |
Dandelions, the harbinger of spring, provide a stunning floral display with their delicate golden petals and puffy seed heads.
It mostly grows from a deep taproot that survives the winter. When the puffy seed heads are blown, this plant can produce approximately 400 seeds.
Issue:
Dandelions spread rapidly. When you blow dandelion seed heads, you are assisting the plant in spreading to other locations. They are attractive, but if you do not want a dandelion garden, you must try to eliminate them.
Remember that dandelion roots can grow very deep, making hand-pulling mature plants difficult. Pre-emerging herbicides are probably the best strategy to prevent dandelions from sprouting.
9. Wild Mustard
| Leaves | 2-7 inches long Alternate Petioles in lower leaves Smaller upper leaves |
| Stems | Branched |
| Flowers | Petite, bright yellow |
| Habitat | Roadside, agricultural fields, wastelands, etc. |
Wild mustard is an annual summer plant that has a tiny fall variant. It is one of over 3000 mustard species and can be extremely competitive. This plant thrives in nitrogen-rich environments.
Issues:
The main problem with this weed is that its seeds can remain alive under the soil surface for many years. And since wild mustard plants are widely found on agricultural lands, cultivation brings the seeds to the surface, which aids in their germination.
10. Chickweed
| Leaves | Tiny, pointed, and oval tooted |
| Stems | Erect, forked with lines of hair on either side |
| Flowers | White |
| Habitat | Meadows, lawns, wastelands, and open areas |
Chickweed is a prevalent weed in Ohio, growing in rich, damp soil with shade. This weed grows in disturbed soil and humid, chilly areas in Ohio from fall through late April.
Chickweed can be identified by looking at its tiny, green, oval-shaped leaves with pointy points. Chickweed also has small, delicate blooms that contrast with the weed’s green foliage.
Issues:
Controlling the spread of chickweed is not a difficult task. However, this should not deter you from taking aggressive measures. Remember that chickweed can quickly spread if not controlled, generating a thick mat of green cover over your lawn.
Therefore, unless you intend to grow just chickweed on your lawn for medicinal purposes (this weed has medical value), you should concentrate on getting rid of it.
Also Check: Weeds in Texas | Spot 13 Different Types of Weeds in your Garden With Pictures
11. Shattercane
| Leaves | 1 to 2 ½ inch wide blades White midvein |
| Stems | Smooth |
| Habitat | Agricultural fields with cereal crops |
Shattercane is a weed sorghum with a diverse genetic background. Organic hybridization between various sorghum kinds is thought to have resulted in the production of shattercane.
This species is quite variable, with mature plants ranging in height from 4 to 12 feet.
Issues:
Shattercase is a fast-growing, aggressive weed. It can substantially impair production and commercial viability if it competes with crops.
12. Crabgrass
| Leaves | Grass-like Wider leaf blades Light to dark green color |
| Stems | Sprawling, growing from the center |
| Habitat | Lawn, grassland, etc. |
Crabgrass is an annual plant that grows opportunistically. This weed spreads and grows in any barren space with a thin grass lining.
A single crabgrass plant produces thousands of seeds before dying in the fall, which can germinate the next spring.
Issues:
The most formidable aspect of crabgrass is that each crabgrass can produce up to 150000 seeds in a single growing season. And the seeds remain dormant under the soil all winter before blossoming the next spring.
This makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to completely eradicate crabgrass once it has set seed. So, get a head start on crabgrass by utilizing herbicides and the hand-pulling method, or call in an expert.
Key Takeaway
The key takeaway from this post is that when dealing with weeds, start early. In other words, prevention is always better than cure! As a result, take proactive measures to prevent their occurrence on your lawn.
So, if you live in Ohio, keep an eye out for the weeds above. These are some of the most frequent weeds in the area. This, however, is not an exhaustive list. So, if you want to learn more, go digging, and don’t forget to share your weed-related experiences in Ohio.
