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Ugly, aggressive lawn weed. #379564

Asked December 11, 2016, 7:52 PM EST

I am a Little River Basin Master Gardener in Rockdale. Have a weed that I cannot find/name.  Will you help please?  It has small yellow flowers and seeds seen in photo.  Mow it and it comes back.  Long tap root.  Pulls out easily in sand until you mow it a few times.  Prolific.  I have more photos if you want.  kbg

Milam County Texas

Expert Response

I reached out to one of our Extension Specialists - Dr. Barron Rector - who provided the following identification and species information:  This plant has been identified to the best of my knowledge and ability as Sida rhombifolia L. in the Malvaceae or Mallow Family. This plant is an introduced, evergreen annual or biennial that is commonly named “arrowleaf sida” or “axocatzin”. It is a native of Brazil and now occurs throughout South America and much of the tropics. It is a problem weed in Brazos County, the Post Oak Savannah and the Coastal Prairies and Marshes vegetation area. Depending on the weather, it can be found flowering on any day of the year. It will grow as an understory or partial shade of oak trees and Eastern red cedar or even in the open areas of pastures and especially lawns. Since it acts like a perennial, mowing does not generally control or kill this species. Currently, we do not have a chemical control recommendation for this species. But, during the rainy season, it can be successfully hand pulled and eliminated temporarily, but as a prolific seed producer from those light yellow to orangish-yellow flowers, it comes back year after year in the same general locations. This year arrowleaf sida was found growing to 42 inches in height in unmowed areas. No known native birds, insects or mammals are known to use this plant.




An Ask Extension Expert Replied December 14, 2016, 10:56 AM EST

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