1. $9.95
WEED SEEDLING
IDENTIFICATION
RESPECT THE LAND
A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING BROADLEAF AND GRASS
WEEDS FOR EARLY CONTROL

2. INDEX Pigweed, Redroot 18
Prickly Sida (Tea Weed) 26
Page(s) Puncture Vine 21
Purslane, Common 25
Broadleaf Weed Characteristics 4-5
Ragweed, Common 23
Broadleaf Weed Seedling
Ragweed, Giant 23
Identification Key 6-9
Russian Thistle 21
Grass Weed Characteristics 10-13 Sicklepod 27
Grass Weed Seedling Shepherd’s Purse 30
Identification Key 14-17 Smartweed, Pennsylvania 19
Broadleaf Weed Colored Photos 18-31 Spurred Anoda 27
Sunflower, Common 23
Grass Weed Colored Photos 32-38
Tansymustard 31
Velvetleaf (Buttonweed) 26
BROADLEAF COLORED PHOTOS: Venice Mallow (Flower of-an-hour) 26
PAGE Waterhemp, Tall or Common 18
Bindweed, Field (Creeping Jenny) 29 Wild Mustard 29
Bindweed, Hedge 29 Wild buckwheat 19
Blue Mustard 31
Buffalo Bur 21
GRASS AND SEDGE
Bur Cucumber 24
COLORED PHOTOS:
Bushy Wallflower (Treacle Mustard) 31
Barnyardgrass 32
Canada Thistle 25
Brome, Downy or Japanese 33
Chickweed, Common 22
Bromegrass, Smooth 34
Cocklebur, Common 20
Cheat 33
Copperleaf, Hophornbean 27
Crabgrass, Large and Smooth 32
Devilsclaw (Unicorn plant) 24
Fall Panicum 37
Flixweed 31
Foxtail, Yellow 36
Groundcherry, Smooth 22
Foxtail, Giant 36
Hemp Sesbania 25
Foxtail, Green 36
Henbit 27
Johnsongrass 35
Horseweed (Marestail) 30
Jointed Goatgrass 33
Jimsonweed 19
Orchardgrass 34
Kochia 20
Quackgrass 34
Lambsquarters, Common 20
Sandbur, Longspine or Field 37
Marijuana (Wild Hemp) 24
Shattercane 35
Morningglory, Tall 28
Wild Proso Millet 38
Morningglory, Ivyleaf 28
Wild Oats 35
Morningglory, Pitted 28
Witchgrass 38
Musk Thistle 25
Woolly Cupgrass 37
Nightshade, Eastern Black 22
Yellow Nutsedge 32
Nightshade, Hairy 22 Credit is given for many of the weed pictures for this brochure
Pennycress, Field 30 to Kansas State University, the University of Illinois, Iowa State
University, Nebraska State Department of Agriculture, American
Palmer Amarath 18
Cyanamid, BASF, Dr. Jim Nelson and Arlyn Evans.
2 3

3. Cotyledon and Leaf Shapes
Broadleaf Weed Characteristics
Since shape can sometimes vary, the
The leaves of broadleaf weeds are wider than approximate length to width ratio is
grasses and have branching, net-like veins. also given to assist identification.
The seed of broadleaf plants has two halves or
cotyledons, which separate on germination. The 3:1
or
cotyledons emerge with the seedling, expand and more
become the first visible leaves. 2:3:1
2:1
Linear Lanceolate Oval Spatulate
Ovate
The true leaves develop above the seed leaves. 1:1
The shapes of cotyledons and first true leaves are
important in weed identification. Round Round with
Tapered Tip Kidney Butterfly
Cotyledon size provides additional clues. Large
Cotyledon Size
cotyledons indicate large-seeded weeds such as
cocklebur, jimsonweed, morningglory and giant
ragweed. Small cotyledons are typical of weeds In this key, small cotyledons are gener-
such as pigweed, lambsquarters, nightshade, ally less than 1/2” long; large cotyledons
kochia and many others. are more than 1” long.
Relative Position of True Leaves
The next important plant characteristic
is the relative position of the first true
leaves on the stem.
Opposite Leaves* Alternate Leaves.
• One leaf per node.
• Paired leaves of similar
Leaf petioles and stem nodes in the buckwheat • Newest leaf is smaller
size attached to opposite
than preceding leaf.
plant family are encircled by a membranous sides of the same node.
papery sheath called an ocrea or stipule. Weeds in
*Note: On some weeds, all true leaves are opposite,
this family include smartweeds, wild buckwheat, but on many weeds the later leaves are alternate.
knotweeds and docks.
4 5

4. Cotyledon Shape
LINEAR (Sides nearly parallel)
Length-width
or
ratio at least 3:1
LANCEOLATE
(Narrow at tip and base)
Are the first true leaves OPPOSITE but
ALTERNATE alternate or opposite? later leaves alternate
Ocrea present?
NO YES Large cotyledons –
thick and waxy.
YES NO
Large cotyledons Hypocotyl reddish
with prominent, violet tinged.
NO
recessed midvein? Lanceolate cotyledons. Small linear cotyledons.
Older true leaves with
Nick in tip of three prominent veins.
first true leaves. Older stems develop
YES Stem reddish violet purple spots.
Pigweed species
Smooth stems
Hair on stems Smooth True leaves and stems hairy?
glossy leaves,
and bud area. glossy leaves,
Rough leaves, oval to ovate.
Oblong to
Oval to ovate lanceolate Long petiloes.
YES
NO
COMMON
COCKLEBUR
True leaves
heart shaped? First true
REDROOT or COMMON PALMER True leaves
leaves ovate,
OR TALL
SMOOTH AMARANTH are linear,
True leaves red-violet
PIGWEED WATERHEMP without petioles.
long and below.
(See other Pigweed species below)
Unpleasant odor
YES
NO Red-violet below;
very thin Frosty or
when bruised. frosty or mealy
(needle-like) mealy above
Later leaves above.
coarsely toothed.
PENNSYLVANIA WILD
KOCHIA
COMMON
RUSSIAN
SMARTWEED BUCKWHEAT
JIMSONWEED
LAMBQUARTERS
THISTLE
Other weeds with linear-lanceolate Other weeds with an ocrea – Other weeds with linear-
cotyledons and first true leaves Alternate: membranous, papery sheath lanceolate cotyledons and
Buffalo Bur Cutleaf Nightshade encircling nodes and petioles: first true leaves opposite:
Pigweed species with Pigweed species without Swamp Smartweed Puncturevine (may
fine hairs on stem: fine hair on stems: Docks appear alternate)
Powell Amaranth Prostrate, Spiney and
Knotweeds
Tumble Pigweeds
Red Sorrel
7
6

5. Cotyledon Shape
Cotyledon Shape
or or
SPATULATE OVAL OBLONG
OVATE (EGG SHAPED)
Narrow tip. Broad base.
Broadleaf Weed Broad tip. Narrow base. Rounded sides Straight sides
Seedling Key
Length-Width Ratio near 2:1 Length-Width Ratio 2:1 to 3:1
First true leaves opposite?
First true leaves alternate?
(Later leaves may alternate)
YES NO
Often purple underneath.
Leaves sparsely Leaves and •True leaves alternate.
First true leaves lobed?
hairy or smooth cotyledons very hairy YES NO •Large cotyledons.
•True leaves star shaped
(wild cucumber) or
Rough leaf surface. pentagon shaped
Later leaves (bur cucumber).
Five lobes Three lobes alternate with three
Small cotyledons Large cotyledons prominent veins.
EASTERN BLACK HAIRY
NIGHTSHADE NIGHTSHADE
Other weeds with Ovate cotyledons:
GIANT WILD CUCUMBER
ANNUAL
First true leaves
RAGWEED BUR CUCUMBER
SUNFLOWER
Alternate: Opposite:
COMMON
Ground Cherry Chickweed Other weeds with Spatulate or Oval or Oblong cotyledons:
RAGWEED
Horseweed White Cockle First true leaves alternate: First true leaves opposite:
Shepherd's Purse Blue Mustard Canada Thistle Spurge, Annual, Purslane
Tansy Mustard Musk thistle Jerusalem Artichoke*
Prickly Lettuce Dandelion Marijuana*, Devilsclaw*
Hemp Sesbania * Later leaves alternate
Cotyledon Shape
Cotyledon Shape
ROUND OR ROUND WITH TAPERED TIP KIDNEY
BUTTERFLY
Notched tip
Deeply notched tip & base
“Heartshaped”
Length-Width
or
Ratio near 1:1
First true leaves alternate?
First true leaves alternate. First true leaves alternate.
Large cotyledons
YES with prominent veins.
YES NO
Heart-shaped
true leaves with short hairs?
First true leaves Arrowhead
Cotyledons often opposite. shaped leaves.
velvety True leaves hairy with Perennial with
TALL MORNINGGLORY
Third and subsequent NO uneven margins.
YES vining
leaves deeply lobed? growth habit.
Slight nick in tip
Long Petioles
of cotyledons
IVY LEAF MORNINGGLORY
PRICKLY SIDA
VELVETLEAF VENICE MALLOW PITTED MORNINGGLORY WILD MUSTARD FIELD BINDWEED
Other weeds with Round cotyledons: Other weeds with Kidney cotyledons:
Other weeds with Butterfly cotyledons:
First true leaves alternate: Hedge Bindweed
First true leaves opposite: Most Morningglory species
Common Mallow Sicklepod Wild Radish
Henbit Copperleaf
Spurred Anoda Yellow Rocket Marshelder F. Pennycress (later alternate)
8 9

6. Grass Weed Seedling Identification The following is a description of plant parts
and growth habits which are very useful for
identifying grass seedlings. Example grasses
Useful vegetative characteristics to
are listed (list not complete).
help identify a young grass seedling:
Ligules
• The leaf blades are long, narrow, alternate
with parallel veins. Hairy Membranous Absent
• The leaf sheath encircles the stem.
• The junction of the leaf blade with the leaf
sheath is called the collar.
• Most grasses have a projection at the base of
the leaf blade called a ligule, which may be a
Barnyardgrass
Foxtail Shattercane
membrane, a fringe of hairs or a combination
Note: Ligule is absent on First leaf of most grasses
of both. Ligule is absent on first leaf.
• Grasses may be smooth (glabrous) or hairy
Leaf Sheath and Stem Type
(pubescent).
Round to Distinctly
• Some grasses have claw-like projections at somewhat Flattened Flat
the leaf collar called auricles that partially
encircle the stem.
Yellow Foxtail
Sandbur
Most
Barnyardgrass
Blade Common
Goosegrass
Grasses
Orchardgrass
Ligule
Sheath Margins
Collar United
Split
(Not Split)
Auricle
Sheath
Smooth Bromegrass
Most
Annual Bromegrasses
Common
Orchardgrass
Grasses
10 11

7. Leaf Twist
Auricles
(Direction of twist is consistent on first leaves only)
Absent
Prominent Clasping Counter No Distinct
Clockwise Clockwise Twist
Quackgrass
Jointed Goatgrass Most Grasses Wheat Most
Wild Oats
Wheat, Barley, Rye Annual Bromegrasses Grasses
Oats
Jointed Goatgrass
Leaf Midrib or Midvein
Leaf or Sheath Pubescence (Hair)
Prominent Faint or Obscure
Smooth Hairy
Short Hair Long Hair
quot;Fuzzquot;
Foxtail
Fall Panicum
Sheath
Growth Habit – Developing Plant Margin
Hairy
Giant Yellow
Erect Decumbent (Reclining) Shattercane
Foxtail Foxtail
Seed size and shape
The seed of grasses often remains
attached to the primary root after
Shattercane Crabgrass germination. If the grass seedling is
carefully removed from the soil, the
Growth Habit – Seedling (1st Leaves) seed size and shape may help identify
the plant.
Horizontal
Erect
Woolly Sandbur Shattercane Johnsongrass
Cupgrass
Woolly Cupgrass Wild Proso Jointed
Annual
Wild Oats or Foxtail
or Crabgrass Millet Bromegrass Goatgrass
Annual Bromegrasses
12 13

8. Grass Seedling Identification Key
Blade
Ligule
START Collar
Auricle
HERE Sheath
Stems Triangular
• No ligule Stems round or flat
YELLOW NUTSEDGE LIGULE ABSENT
LIGULE LIGULE HAIRY
MEMBRANOUS Sheath distinctly
(See next page)
flat by third leaf stage
BARNYARDGRASS
Blade or sheath Blade and sheath
with dense hairs hairless or sparsely hairy
First leaf wide, First leaf blades
short, not erect. narrow and erect
• Blades Blades narrow, Blades wide,
• Horizontal with distinct long and erect short, not erect
growth habit. twist.
• Sheath united.
• Prominent veins.
• Sparse hairs near collar.
LARGE • Winter annual.
• Sheath flat with
• Horizontal growth habit.
CRABGRASS • Long, awned seed.
whitish base.
SMOOTH CRABGRASS
Sheath Sheath very hairy
GOOSEGRASS
hairy to JAPANESE BROME or
smooth DOWNY BROME
CHEAT
Auricles present (except
first few leaves) Note: Wheat,
Auricles absent Barley and Rye also have auricles.
Annual Winter annual Perennial
Perennial with rhizomes
• Smooth, white
• Blades and sheath • Blades erect
• Stems wire-like. • Western
Similar to
rhizomes.
erect and smooth. with distinct
• Prominent nodes. wheat region.
Shattercane but
• Narrow,
• Ligule jagged. twist.
• Scaly rhizomes. • Hair on blade
seed is oblong
twisting leaves
• Large, black, shiny, • Oat-like seed. margin.
shaped
WIRESTEM ovate seed. • Long, joint-like seed.
MUHLY QUACKGRASS
WILD OAT • Leaves with
distinct twist.
JOHNSONGRASS SHATTERCANE
JOINTED
GOATGRASS
Sheath united
• Sheath distinctly
flattened. • Short ligule
• Prominent ligule. SMOOTH BROME
ORCHARDGRASS
14 15

9. LIGULE HAIRY
Blade with hair Blade with little or no hair
Blade hairy Sheath Sheath margin without hair.
on both surfaces
Blade hairy upper margin hairy Sheath occasionally with hair
or blade margins
surface only
Blade with long
hair on upper
Blade with Sheath nearly round Sheath flattened
surface near base
short hair (fuzz) Small oblong seed Large spiny seed
by third leaf stage
on upper surface
• Seedling • Occasional sparse
occasionally with hair on collar margins
hair on sheath • Sheath smooth, often
• Sheath flat,
• Underside of blade or blade, but later with reddish base
Small ovate seed
without hair,
smooth or sparsely hairy smooth and shiny
often with
• Sheath margins hairy
GREEN FOXTAIL • Prominent, white FIELD SANDBUR
reddish base midrib on older plants
GIANT FOXTAIL
YELLOW FOXTAIL FALL PANICUM
Blade & sheath
hair very short,
Blade with distinct hair dense & difficult
throughout or on margins only. to see.
Random hairs on Prominent sheath hairs
FIRSTleaf and sheath at 90° angle to stem
• First blade horizontal,
wide with blunt tip.
• Blades and sheaths • Blades hairy to • One blade margin
often crimped
later smooth & shiney nearly smooth
• Very large seed
• Prominent, white midrib
WITCHGRASS
on larger plants
(small seed)
or WOOLLY CUPGRASS
FALL PANICUM WILD PROSO MILLET
(large seed)
16 17

10. COTYLEDONS LINEAR OR LANCEOLATE COTYLEDONS LINEAR OR LANCEOLATE
REDROOT PIGWEED JIMSONWEED
(Amaranthus retroflexus) (Datura stramonium)
WATERHEMP, COMMON OR TALL PENNSYLVANIA SMARTWEED
(Amaranthus rudis or tuberculatus) (Polygonum pensylvanicum)
PALMER PIGWEED WILD BUCKWHEAT
(Amaranthus palmeri) (Polygonum convolvulus)
18 19

11. COTYLEDONS LINEAR OR LANCEOLATE COTYLEDONS LINEAR OR LANCEOLATE
COMMON COCKLEBUR RUSSIAN THISTLE
(Xanthium strumarium) (Salsola iberica)
stem
COMMON LAMBSQUARTERS BUFFALO BUR
(Chenopodium album) (Solanum rostratum)
KOCHIA PUNCTURE VINE
(Kochia scoparia) (Tribulus terrestris)
20 21

12. COTYLEDONS OVATE COTYLEDONS SPATULATE OR OVAL
EASTERN BLACK NIGHTSHADE COMMON RAGWEED
(Solanum ptycanthum) (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)
HAIRY NIGHTSHADE GIANT RAGWEED
(Solanum sarrachoides) (Ambrosia trifida)
COMMON SUNFLOWER
SMOOTH GROUNDCHERRY COMMON CHICKWEED
(Helianthus annuus)
(Physalis subglabrata) (Stellaria media)
22 23

13. COTYLEDONS OVAL OR OBLONG COTYLEDONS SPATULATE OR OVAL
BUR CUCUMBER MUSK THISTLE
(Sicyos angulatus) (Carduus nutans)
MARIJUANA (Wild Hemp) CANADA THISTLE
(Cannabis sativa) (Cirsium arvense)
DEVILSCLAW (Unicorn plant) HEMP SESBANIA COMMON PURSLANE
(Proboscidea louisianica) (Sesbania exaltata) (Portulaca oleracea)
24 25

14. COTYLEDONS ROUND (TAPERED TIP) COTYLEDONS ROUND
SPURRED ANODA SICKLEPOD
VELVETLEAF (Buttonweed)
(Anoda cristata) (Cassia obtusifolia)
(Abutilon theophrasti)
HOPHORNBEAN COPPERLEAF
VENICE MALLOW (flower-of-an-hour)
(Hibuscus trionum) (Acalypha ostryifolia)
HENBIT
PRICKLY SIDA (Teaweed)
(Lamium amplexicaule)
(Sida spinosa)
26 27

15. COTYLEDONS BUTTERFLY SHAPE COTYLEDONS KIDNEY SHAPE
TALL MORNINGGLORY WILD MUSTARD
(Ipomoea purpurea) (Brassica kaber)
IVYLEAF MORNINGGLORY FIELD BINDWEED (creeping jenny)
(Ipomoea hederacea) (Convolvulus arvensis)
PITTED MORNINGGLORY HEDGE BINDWEED
(Ipomoea lacunosa) (Calystegia sepium)
28 29

16. WINTER ANNUAL BROADLEAVES WINTER ANNUAL BROADLEAVES
HORSEWEED (MARESTAIL) BLUE MUSTARD
(Conyza canadensis) (Chorispora tenella)
FIELD PENNYCRESS BUSHY WALLFLOWER TANSYMUSTARD (Descurainia pinnata)
(Thlaspi arvense) or FLIXWEED(Descurainia sophia)
(Cassia obtusifolia)
SHEPHERD’S PURSE TANSYMUSTARD FLIXWEED TANSYMUSTARD
(Capsella bursa-pastoris) (Descurainia pinnata) (left) (right)
30 31

17. YELLOW NUTSEDGE DOWNY BROME CHEAT, JAP., DOWNY
(Cyperus esculentus) (Bromus tectorum) BROME (left to rt.)
BARNYARDGRASS ANNUAL BROME CHEAT
(Echinochloa crus-galli) (Clockwise leaf twist) (Bromus secalinus)
CRABGRASS (Digitaria sp.) JOINTED GOATGRASS
Large Smooth (Aegilops cylindrica)
32 33

18. SHATTERCANE
QUACKGRASS
(Sorghum bicolor)
(Agropyron repens)
SHATTERCANE SEED
ORCHARDGRASS JOHNSONGRASS - Rhizomes
(Dactylis glomerata) (Sorghum halepense)
JOHNSONGRASS SEED
WILD OATS
SMOOTH BROMEGRASS
(Avena fatua)
(Bromus inermus)
34 35

19. LONGSPINE (“FIELD”) SANDBUR
YELLOW FOXTAIL GREEN FOXTAIL
(Cenchurus longispinus)
(Setaria lutescens) (Setaria viridis)
seed bur
FALL PANICUM
GIANT FOXTAIL
(Panicum dichotomiflorum)
(Setaria faberi)
WOOLLY CUPGRASS
GIANT, YELLOW & GREEN FOXTAIL
(Eriochloa villosa)
Seed heads (left to right)
Giant Woolly
Foxtail Cupgrass
seed seed
36 37

20. WOOLLY CUPGRASS
(Eriochloa villosa)
Woolly Giant
Cupgrass Foxtail
WITCHGRASS
(Panicum capillare)
WILD PROSO MILLET
(Panicum miliaceum)
38

21. RESPECT THE LAND
P BOX 64089
.O.
St. Paul, MN 55164
P BOX 7305
.O.
Kansas City, MO 64116
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