WEED ID · WINTER ANNUAL BROADLEAF
Shepherd's purse
Also called Shepherd's-purse, case weed, pick-purse
A cool-season weed with a ground-hugging rosette and tiny white flowers. It's named for its heart-shaped seed pods.
How to spot it
- Flat rosette of deeply lobed leaves at the base
- Upright flowering stem with arrow-shaped leaves that clasp it
- Tiny white flowers with four petals in clusters at the top
- Flat, heart-shaped or triangle seed pods on thin stalks
- Grows in cool weather and dies back when it warms up
Why it shows up
Shepherd's purse is a winter annual that grows from seed. It sprouts in cool weather, flowers, and drops seed before it dies. Each plant carries many seed pods, which is how it keeps coming back.
How we treat it
Shepherd's purse is a winter annual, so timing matters. We use a pre-emergent timed to the season to cut down on new seedlings. For plants already up, we spot treat with a product labeled for your grass type. We also fertilize to thicken the turf.
What you can do
- Pull small plants before the seed pods form.
- Pull the whole plant. It has a taproot.
- Call in fall or winter, while plants are still small.
WANT IT HANDLED?
Let a licensed applicator take it from here.
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Prefer to talk? 817-382-1722Licensed applicator, Texas Department of Agriculture · License #0984138