Shepherd's Purse

It can be found in nurseries, the edge of landscape beds, agricultural settings, and occasionally turf. At germination, it produces a basal rosette of leaves. The first leaves to emerge are round. As the leaves lengthen, they develop deep lobes, or serrations, and can reach a length of six inches.

Seeds germinate in late summer and early fall, though some may not germinate until early spring. If it germinates before winter, the plant goes through winter in the rosette stage. The following year, a slender stem is produced. It has few, if any, small branches and a small number of narrow, thin leaves. It can grow to a height of 1.5 feet. Tiny white flowers are produced starting in the spring and continuing into summer. The seed pods are very distinct; they are flat, with two lobes, and resemble a heart.

This weed is not quite as much of a pest as many of the other turf and landscape weed species. Due to a taproot, prostrate foliage, and a slender stem, it is hard to hand-pull. However, shepherd's purse can be managed with a number of pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides.

Pre-emergents include

• dithiopyr
• flumioxazin
• oryzalin
• oxadiazon
• oxyfluorfen+oryzalin
• oxyfluorfen+pendimethalin
• pendimethalin
• prodiamine

Post-emergents include

• bentazon
• diquat dibromide
• flumioxazin
• glufosinate-ammonium
• glyphosate