WW-01351     Reviewed 1997  

Annual Grass and Perennial Weed Seedling Identification

Gerald R. Miller and Oliver E. Strand

Copyright ©  2000  Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

Annual Grass Seedlings	Weed Seedlings
Barnyardgrass	Artichoke, Jerusalem
Crabgrass, large	Bindweed, field
Oat, wild	Bindweed, hedge
Foxtail, giant	Nutsedge, yellow
Foxtail, green	Quackgrass
Foxtail, yellow	Sowthistle, perennial
Panicum, fall	Thistle, Canada
Proso millet, wild

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Descriptions of Annual Grass and Perennial Weed Seeding Identification

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Annual Grass Seedlings

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Barnyardgrass

Leaf sheath open, flattened; leaf blade smooth and hairless; no ligule.

Barnyardgrass

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Crabgrass, large

Leaf sheath round, hairy, open; leaf blade wide, hairy; ligule membranous.

Crabgrass, large.

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Oat, wild

Leaf sheath pubescent, round, open; leaf blade smooth and hairless except often has scattered hairs on leaf margin toward base of leaf; ligule prominent, membranous.

Oat, wild.

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Foxtail, giant

Leaf sheath round, pubescent, open; leaf blade with dense covering of fine hairs on upper surface, few scattered hairs on lower surface; ligule a fringe of hairs.

Foxtail, giant.

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Foxtail, green

Leaf sheath round, pubescent, open; leaf blade relatively free of hairls on both surfaces: ligule a fringe of hairs.

Foxtail, green.

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Foxtail, yellow

Leaf sheath flattened, open, relatively hairless; leaf blade has scattered long whitish hairs toward base, otherwise hairless; ligule a fringe of hairs.

Foxtail, yellow.

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Panicum, fall

Leaf sheath round, open, smooth and free of hairs; leaf blade hairless; ligule a fringe of hairs.

Panicum, fall.

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Proso millet, wild

Leaf sheath round, open, prominently veined, coarse hairy; leaf blade wide, hairy; ligule a fringe of hairs.

Proso millet, wild.

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Weed Seedlings

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Artichoke, Jerusalem

Cotyledons ovate to spatulate rough; leaves opposite, hairy, prominent midvein, petiole short; stem white-hairy; plant erect.

Artichoke, Jerusalem.

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Bindweed, field

Cotyledons broad, shallow notch at tip; leaves somewhat heart-shaped to arrowhead-shaped, alternate; plant vine-like, twining or trailing.

Bindweed, field.

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Bindweed, hedge

Cotyledons broad, notched at tip; leaves arrowhead-shaped with "cut-a-way corners" at base, leaves larger than field birdweed leaves, alternate; plant vine-like, twining.

Bindweed, hedge.

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Nutsedge, yellow

Leaves three-ranked with triangular stem, numerous fine veins visible on leaf sheath; no ligule as in grasses.

Nutsedge, yellow.

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Quackgrass

Leaf sheath round, open, pubescent; leaf blades may be smooth or pubescent; ligule membranous, short; older leaves bear a pair of auricles (short claw-like appendages that are attached to the leaf collar at base of blade); plants may arise from seed or from white rhizomes (underground stems).

Quackgrass.

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Sowthistle, perennial

Cotyledons oval, short stalked; leaves ovate with slightly toothed or prickly margins, long petioles, leaves alternate; plant erect, plant contains milky juice.

Sowthistle, perennial.

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Thistle, Canada

Cotyledons ovate to linear, thick and fleshy; first leaves ovate with prickly margins, successive leaves more wrinkled and spiny, leaves alternate; plant erect.

Thistle, Canada.

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Gerald R. Miller extension agronomist

Oliver E. Strand former extension agronomist

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