Most of us are familiar with dandelions, those bright yellow, daisy-like flowers that pop up all of a sudden as spring temperatures warm.  Taraxacum officinale, as it is botanically known, is a small perennial plant with a long tap root and puffball seed heads that small children can use as a “clock” to tell the hour by how many puffs it takes to blow all the seeds away.  Apart from childish fun, the plant is edible and has several medicinal uses, which explains how it found its way to the US from its native Eurasia.  It is the bane of those who wish for a weed-free lawn, but it is also a plant that can provide nectar and pollen for early native bees, mainly bumblebee and eastern carpenter bees.  While native plants serve these pollinators better, in areas where native vegetation isn’t prolific they can serve a useful purpose. 

However, for those looking for weed-free lawns or borders there are steps that can be taken to prevent or remove them.  Prevention takes the form of mulching beds, using weed preventer granules and on lawns, fertilizers that also contain broadleaf weed herbicides whether synthetic or organic.  A non chemical approach is to dig them up, which can be time consuming, especially as they can regenerate from the smallest amount of root left behind, however long handled weeders can make it easier on the back!  Also making sure they don’t go to seed will help keep them at bay.   

Whatever your feelings about this sunny weed it is certainly prolific.  Prolific is also adjective that can be applied to both weeds that follow.   

Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) also known as creeping Charlie is a ground cover plant that creeps, hence two of its common names.  It is very low growing and roots from stolons, which means that wherever its new growth touches the ground, it puts down roots.  Preferring moist, shady conditions it will tolerate drier soil.  Left alone it will spread to form a dense mat and as such can become a nuisance in lawns where its aggressive growth will choke out grass.  It blooms early in spring, producing many tubular purple flowers, which are popular with early bees as they do provide a source of nectar when not much is flowering.  This member of the mint family has aromatic leaves and like dandelions made its way to the US from Europe because of its medicinal properties.  It was traditionally used to treat a number of complaints including the common cold and various aches and pains as well as treating scurvy due to its high vitamin C content.  It was even used in making beer before using hops became the norm, earning it another of its common names – ale-hoof. 

However, like dandelions its presence in lawns is usually not welcome, although it can be used as a lawn alternative, but if it is undesirable hand pulling before it gets out of control is advisable.  Chemical control can be achieved with a broadleaf herbicide, application of which is most effective in the fall when the active ingredients are taken down into the roots, although treatment can be done in spring as well. 

While these two non-native plants are aggressive they are not as rampant as the last plant featured, which has earned itself a place on Massachusetts’s invasive plant list as it is capable of choking out even ground ivy. 

Lesser Celandine, Ficaria verna, is another European import and naturally grows in moist, riparian areas, although it can manage quite well in much drier conditions.  It too blooms early and produces yellow star-shaped flowers.  A member of the buttercup family, this one arrived on these shores due to its ornamental attributes.  It is a spring ephemeral in that it will go dormant by early summer so that the dense choking mats of vegetation it makes on emergence turn into bare patches of earth after a couple of months.  Its spread is aggressive due to the fact that it can spread by seed, tubers and bulblets which are small bulb-like structures that grow on its stems.  It can choke out native plants, particularly spring ephemerals and despite its pretty appearance should be removed if found growing on your property as it really will overtake many types of low growing vegetation.  Hand removal is effective for small patches, making sure to remove all tubers, while herbicide application during its early growth is the most effective way to deal with large masses. 

So don’t be fooled by the seemingly innocent appearance of these plants – they all have designs on your garden and the last one in particular is best repulsed at the first sign of invasion!