Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. After the misery of the cold (I much prefer the sun and the heat), I am so ready to be outside more, whether that’s working in the yard, on a boat, or just enjoying warmer afternoons. However, it can be a sticky situation when your yard is covered with stickers.
The most common culprit we see in our area is lawn burweed (Soliva pterosperma). You may also hear it called spurweed, stickerweed, sandbur, sanbur, or sandspur. Management doesn’t have to be hard but it is incredibly important to recognize the weed and to prevent stickers rather than control them once they are there.
Lawn burweed is a winter annual in the Aster family. It gets its start in early fall as temperatures begin to cool. Through the winter, it stays small and often goes unnoticed. Then, just as we start enjoying those first warm spring days, it takes off. Rapid growth begins, and spine-tipped burs form in the leaf axils (where the leaf meets the stem). Those sharp burs are what cause the irritation, especially if you’re walking barefoot or pets are running through the yard.
How to Identify Lawn Burweed
Key identification characteristics include:
- Opposite, sparsely hairy leaves divided into many narrow segments
- Small, inconspicuous flowers
- Spine-tipped burs located in the leaf axils
- A low-growing, spreading plant up to 6 inches in diameter and 3–4 inches tall
The Best Approach at Controlling Lawn Burweed
*Start with a healthy lawn. A thick, vigorous turfgrass is your first line of defense. Healthy grass competes for light, water, and nutrients and can help crowd out burweed before it ever becomes a problem.
*Fertilize and lime based on a soil test. Don’t guess, let the soil test guide your fertility program so your lawn has what it needs to thrive.
*Mow properly. Keep your turfgrass at the recommended height and mow on schedule. Scalping or inconsistent mowing weakens your lawn and opens the door for weeds.
*Hand removal (early is key). If you catch burweed early in the season, you can pull it by the roots before it has a chance to mature.
*Use a pre-emergent herbicide in the fall. Since burweed germinates in fall, a pre-emergent application at that time can prevent seed germination. Atrazine is one option labeled for many home lawns of Centipede, St. Augustine, or Zoysiagrass
*Apply post-emergent herbicides December through February. This is the ideal window to control burweed before it forms those painful burs. Control is very difficult in March, April, and May, in regard to preventing the stickers. By then the spines have already developed, and they’ll remain in the lawn even after the plant dies.
- A 3-way blend containing 2,4-D + MCPP + Dicamba can be used in bermudagrass, tall fescue, or zoysiagrass.
- Atrazine may be used on fully dormant bermudagrass.
- There are other options that can be used.
Contact your local county extension agent to select the best product for your yard. Most of the herbicides that effectively control lawn burweed are available at local farm and garden stores. Be sure to read the label carefully and follow all directions, the label is the law.
As always, if you need help with proper identification or have questions about weed control options, contact your local county extension office. Your office contact information can be found by clicking the link.