Found in:

• Lawns, landscape beds, disturbed soils; common on compacted soils

Characteristics:

• Early germinating annual with wiry, mat-like growth habit
• Seedlings look almost grass-like
• Leaves are small, narrowly oval and blue-green in color, arise alternately along stem
• Each node (joint) has a swollen or knotted appearance with a papery tissue like structure (ochrea) surrounding the node
• Small white flowers appear June to late fall
• Long, thin tap root

Significance:

• Germinates early to mid-April and throughout spring
• Often considered an indicator plant for compacted soils

Plants that look similar:

• Common Purslane
• Prostrate Spurge

More information and control options for Prostrate Knotweed...