Common Weeds Identification: Know What's Growing in Your Yard

That mystery plant popping up in your lawn or garden bed — is it a weed, a wildflower, or something useful? Knowing what's growing in your yard is the first step to managing it effectively. Some "weeds" are actually beneficial, while others need immediate removal. Here's your guide to the most common yard and garden weeds.

Broadleaf Weeds

These are the weeds with wide, flat leaves that stand out against narrow grass blades.

🌼 Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

The most recognizable weed in the world. Dandelions have deeply toothed, lance-shaped leaves forming a basal rosette close to the ground. Bright yellow flowers on hollow stems turn into distinctive white seed puffs. The deep taproot makes them hard to pull — if you leave any root behind, they'll regrow.

Fun fact: Dandelion greens are edible and nutritious, rich in vitamins A, C, and K. The flowers are used to make wine, and the roots can be roasted as a coffee substitute.

🍀 White Clover (Trifolium repens)

Recognizable by its three round leaflets, often with a lighter V-shaped marking on each. Produces round white (sometimes pinkish) flower heads. Spreads by creeping stolons.

Actually useful: Clover fixes nitrogen in the soil, feeds pollinators, and stays green in drought. Many people now intentionally add clover to their lawns as a "clover lawn" for its low-maintenance benefits.

🌿 Broadleaf Plantain (Plantago major)

Not related to the banana-like fruit! This plantain has wide, oval leaves with prominent parallel veins growing in a flat rosette. Produces tall, narrow flower spikes with tiny flowers. Very common in compacted soil and along paths.

Traditional use: Crushed plantain leaves have been used for centuries as a poultice for insect bites and minor wounds.

🌿 Creeping Charlie / Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

A mat-forming weed with scalloped, round to kidney-shaped leaves on square stems. Has a minty smell when crushed. Small purple flowers appear in spring. Spreads aggressively by runners and is one of the hardest weeds to eliminate.

🌿 Chickweed (Stellaria media)

A low-growing winter annual with small, opposite oval leaves and tiny white star-shaped flowers. Each petal is so deeply notched it looks like 10 petals instead of 5. Forms dense mats in cool, moist conditions. Edible in salads.

🌿 Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

A summer annual with thick, fleshy, paddle-shaped leaves on reddish stems that sprawl along the ground. Tiny yellow flowers. Looks succulent-like.

Superfood weed: Purslane is one of the most nutritious "weeds" — rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A and C, and minerals. It's cultivated as a vegetable in many cultures.

Grassy Weeds

These weeds look like grass but grow differently than your lawn grass. They're harder to spot but can take over quickly.

Crabgrass (Digitaria spp.)

The bane of lawn care enthusiasts. Crabgrass is a summer annual that spreads in a star pattern from a central point, growing low and flat. Blades are wider and lighter green than most lawn grasses. It thrives in hot, thin areas of the lawn and produces thousands of seeds before dying in fall.

Nutsedge (Cyperus spp.)

Often mistaken for grass, but nutsedge is actually a sedge — identified by its triangular stem (roll it between your fingers) and rapid, upright growth that outpaces surrounding grass. Yellow nutsedge and purple nutsedge are the two main types. Extremely difficult to control due to underground tubers.

Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua)

A light green grass that produces seed heads even at very short mowing heights. It's a winter annual that dies in summer heat, leaving bare patches. The seed heads give it away — white, fluffy clusters visible even in closely mowed lawns.

Weeds in Garden Beds

• Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis): A vining weed with arrow-shaped leaves and trumpet-shaped white or pink flowers. Deep root system makes it extremely persistent.
• Lamb's Quarters (Chenopodium album): Tall, upright weed with diamond-shaped leaves dusted with a whitish coating. Edible — tastes like spinach.
• Pigweed/Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.): Fast-growing with oval to lance-shaped leaves and dense flower spikes. Some species are cultivated for their seeds (grain amaranth).
• Spotted Spurge (Euphorbia maculata): Low, mat-forming with small opposite leaves often with a dark spot in the center. Produces milky sap when broken — can cause skin irritation.

To Pull or Not to Pull?

Consider keeping:

• White clover (nitrogen fixer, pollinator food)
• Dandelions (edible, deep roots break up compacted soil)
• Purslane (nutritious, edible ground cover)
• Violets (pretty, edible flowers, pollinator-friendly)

Remove promptly:

• Poison ivy (see our poison ivy identification guide)
• Bindweed (invasive, chokes other plants)
• Nutsedge (aggressive, hard to control once established)
• Crabgrass (takes over lawn areas)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I identify weeds in my lawn?

Look at leaf shape, growth pattern, and flowers. The fastest method is to snap a photo with our AI plant identifier for instant results.

What are the most common lawn weeds?

Dandelions, crabgrass, white clover, chickweed, plantain, creeping Charlie, nutsedge, and spurge are among the most common across North America.

Are any common weeds edible or useful?

Yes! Dandelion greens, purslane, chickweed, and lamb's quarters are all edible. White clover fixes nitrogen in soil. Plantain has traditional medicinal uses.

Related reading: How to Identify Poison Ivy · Tree Identification by Leaf · Flowering Plant Identification