What kind of weed is this in my grass?

Darrel Rose
by Darrel Rose
It kind of looks like clover and spreads here it is spreading into my grass, it is very green though and does blend in but who wants this, I certainly don't. I have it also growing between my flagstone which I killed with boiling water but I can not do that in my grass as it will kill the grass. Do you have any other idea how to kill it without any herbicides and what is it?
  15 answers
  • Ossie J Ossie J on Sep 08, 2015
    Not sure it sort of favor English Ivy which runs like while fire. Does it have a mint odor?? Unless someone sends a better suggestion, You will have to tear this out by the root.
  • Dottie Dottie on Sep 08, 2015
    It looks like "creeping charlie", a perennial evergreen. Pretty invasive. If you want to keep the plants it's coming up in, you will have to pull it up. Do a section a day and keep at it until you can't see it anymore. Reach down and grab the runners and follow them to where they are rooted, then dig up the roots. In spring when plants start emerging, get aggressive with it while it's small and hopefully get the rest of it. It's not a bad looking ground cover though but it needs to be controlled. It also has violet colored flowers in late spring, early summer. If you decide to let it flower, my suggestion is to pull it up before it seeds out. Good luck!
  • Carmen Carmen on Sep 08, 2015
    Looks to be one of the following: Dichondra, Dollar Weed, Creeping Wood Sorrel (could also be called Oxalis or sour grass) or even, if it has a minty smell when cut or crushed, Ground Ivy (Glechhoma hederacea) often called Creeping Charlie. Here's a link to help with Creeping Charlie http://hort.uwex.edu/articles/creeping-charlie/ and another link for educatinional purposes http://inhabitat.com/reading-your-weeds-whats-your-soil-telling-you/ because, apparently, weeds are just tell tale signs of what is wrong with your soil, and the best way to keep your lawn weed free is to keep the actual grass lush and healthy. Just a shame to get there, we need to get rid of the weeds! Try searching the net for some of the above names to figure out which weeds you have, then search terms like "what does xxx tell me about my soil" or "how to remove xxx from lawn". I may be totally amiss here as I am from South Africa and Afrikaans is my home language, so we may call these things by different names. Good luck!
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Sep 08, 2015
    Im sorry to say there is no other way to get rid of the weed except pulling it out if you do not want to use chemicals. I hate weeds. Sorry.
  • Liliana Wells Liliana Wells on Sep 08, 2015
    Some people have had success with killing weeds with horticultural vinegar. But if the weed is in your grass to, it will kill your grass as well.
  • Andrea Kane Andrea Kane on Sep 08, 2015
    I am wondering if it is wild violet. The picture seems to have purple at the top. If it is...good luck. VERY invasive and hard to kill. Weed B Gon as a special chemical for tough weeds like this but you must spray monthly. Will take over a whole lawn if not controlled. Has underground runners as well as top roots. The compact leaves makes me think this is the problem.
  • J.Miserany J.Miserany on Sep 08, 2015
    Looks like Veronica to me,small purple flower and actually pretty if it would stay where you can appreciate it. I pulled for nearly 30 years and never won the war.I sold the house! Joyce,Plattsburgh
  • Kathie Elia Kathie Elia on Sep 08, 2015
    Many years ago , we had a front lawn that was dichondra. It was beautiful and hardly ever needed mowing. Grew only 3 inches tall and was green all year ( we lived in So Cal) It is considered an invasive weed in a lot of states.This looks more like dollar weed but it is hard to tell from the picture.
  • Beth Harkless Hafler Beth Harkless Hafler on Sep 08, 2015
    We "had" it last year... it was completely choking out the grass...We called a lawn company that sprays once a month... we have our lawn back, and it is beautiful!
  • Carmen Carmen on Sep 09, 2015
    Apparently there are broad leaf herbicides that will work without harming your actual grass, but bear in mind these will also kill other broad leaves you may not want removed and they do not affect the seeds that have already fallen, so more than one application may be necessary. Read labels carefully. Funny, some people actually prefer Dichondra as lawns, other see it as a headache :)
  • Karon Murphy Karon Murphy on Sep 09, 2015
    this looks like creeping Charlie and will take over your lawn, we find that by spreading grass seed in the fall and early spring the grass seems to help it from spreading
  • Donna Hagen Donna Hagen on Sep 09, 2015
    In minnesota we call this weed creeping charlie its a hateful weed I have picked about 2 pick up loads I have been told the best time to spray anything on it is when its in bloom
  • Elizabeth Sagarminaga Elizabeth Sagarminaga on Sep 11, 2015
    If you have a problem from weeds ,The most important step you can take to maintain pest free backyard land is to keep the yard and garden neat and clean. Check this link for more on how such tips can keep your backyard pest free. http://blog.californiafenceco.com/9-household-ways-keep-weeds-away
  • Aff2178914 Aff2178914 on Oct 09, 2016
    You don't have to mow it. We have it in our lawn too. I don't see it as a problem. Don't spray chemicals on your lawn ...that's part of our polution problems.
  • Kal12080371 Kal12080371 on Oct 09, 2016
    Dichondra