21 Common Weeds in Virginia Lawns: Types, Grass Identification & Expert Lawn Care Tips for Manassas & Beyond

Daniel • June 20, 2025

Do you dream of a healthy, nourishing life, but pesky weeds make it tough to achieve? Virginia’s humid summers and clay soil are a weed paradise. Suppose you’re struggling with these unwanted intruders in your Manassas lawn. This guide provides detailed information on the various types of lawn weeds and offers Virginia Tech-approved control methods for each season.

This blog will help you learn how to manage them while taking care of your lawn, especially in a place like Manassas, where the weather can change rapidly.

21 COMMON WEEDS IN VIRGINIA:

There are weeds of many types that may grow in your field, but you may not be able to identify most of them. We need to be familiar with them to control them, as each type has its unique identification. To help you identify and eliminate them, we’ve listed 21 common types of weeds in Virginia. Have a look at them:

Dandelion
Henbit
Wild violet
Crab Grass
Chickweed
Spotted Spurge
Wild Garlic
Buttonweed
White Clover
Ground ivy
Broadleaf Plantain
Yellow Woodsorrel
Purple Deadnettle
Corn Speedwell
Hairy bittercress
Annual bluegrass
Yellow Nutsedge
Lespedeza
Common ragweed
Foxtail
Black Medic

1. Dandelion:

Key features:

Scientific Name: Taraxacum
How they look: Bright yellow flowers, white puffball seeds, jagged leaves
Virginia Identification: First Spring weed, closes itself at night, thrives in compacted clay soil

Harm to Virginia's lawn:

Steals nitrogen, potassium, and water
Taproot regrows in 2 weeks
Rapidly spreads via wind or mowers

Control:

Fall or early spring
Use boiling water on roots on sunny days.
Use 3 3-inch layer of mulch.
Spray 2,4-D herbicide (e.g., Weed B Gon).
Use Iron herbicide (Fiesta)

Prevention:

Keep your grass at 3.5–4".
Patch bare spots every September.
Aerate the Clay Soil every fall.
Avoid spraying in summer.
Mowing puffballs, they spread everywhere.

Pro tip: Feed your lawn in fall, not spring—it starves weeds naturally!

2. Henbit:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Lamium amplexicaule
How they look: Vibrant purple tubular flowers. Square stems, scalloped leaves.
Virginia Identification: Emerges in February, grows in dense mats, minty scent when crushed, turns reddish-purple in cold, thrives in moist, under-fertilized lawns (common in Manassas Clay)

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Form dense mats
Explosive seed spreads
Uses all the nitrogen

Control:

Fall (September - October)
Mow high (3.5-4") in winter
Corn gluten meal (apply Sept 15)
Hand-pull after rain
Spray 2,4-D + dicamba mix (e.g., Weed B Gon Chickweed/Clover
Iron-based herbicides (e.g., Fiesta)

Prevention

Overseed fescue in September
Apply fertilizer in fall (Oct-Nov)
Soil pH (6.0-7.0)
Overwater in winter

Virginia Pro Tip

Henbit is a soil spy! It reveals where your lawn needs nitrogen. Test the soil in August and apply a slow-release fertilizer.

3. Wild Violet:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Viola sororia
How they look: Heart-shaped leaves, purple/white/yellow flowers, low-growing perennials
Virginia Identification: Spreads via underground rhizomes; flowers in April-May; prefers shady, acidic soils.

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Invade the lawn with dense colonies
regrows from root fragments.

Control:

Fall (Oct) best time to use herbicides
Hand digging if few clumps
Use triclopyr to kill

Prevention

Aerate annually
Plant shade-tolerant fescue
Avoid using herbicides in spring

Virginia Pro Tip

Henbit is a soil spy! It reveals where your lawn needs nitrogen. Test the soil in August and apply a slow-release fertilizer.

4. Crab Grass:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Digitaria sanguinalis
How they look: Star-shaped light green blades, low-growing stems radiating from the center ("crab-like”).
Virginia Identification: Germinates when forsythia blooms (mid-March); thrives in summer, especially in compacted soil, and turns purple-brown after frost.

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Spreads quickly & chokes healthy grass
Dies in the fall, leaving blank spots

Control:

Mowing high (4”).
Pre-emergent in March
Maintain a healthy lawn

Prevention

Apply Pre-Emergent Herbicide
Don’t leave bare spots

Virginia Pro Tip

Crabgrass grows earlier in warmer spots. In Norfolk or VA Beach, use herbicides by March 1. In cooler places like Shenandoah, wait until March 20.

5. Chickweed:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Stellaria media
How they look: star-shaped, tiny white flowers, oval leaves in opposite pairs, sprawling mats.
Virginia ID: Winter weeds that thrive in moist, shady lawns (common under NoVA trees); forms thick patches by February.

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Attract pests
Spreads rapidly
Chokes out the grass

Control:

Late winter
Pull by hand
Aerate the lawn
Mow high
Improvised drainage

Prevention

Trim trees for more sunlight
Add compost to improve drainage
Don’t overwater or leave pulled weeds

Virginia Pro Tip

Chickweed seeds can quickly spread when disturbed. To pull them out easily, do it in the morning when the soil is damp. Dispose of them in the trash instead of composting, as they might regrow.

6. Spotted Spurge:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Euphorbia maculata
Looks: Red-spotted oval leaves, low-growing mats, milky sap when broken.
Virginia Identification: Summer annual; compacted soil (driveways/sidewalks); germinates after May rains.

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Toxic sap causes skin rash/blistering
Rapid spread
Thrives where grass falters.

Control:

Pre-emergent in April
hand-pull seedlings (≤1" size).
Spray pendimethalin (pre)
2,4-D (post)
Hoeing three to four days after a rain dries out the soil surface

Prevention

Water deeply
Mow high
Aerate compacted areas
Avoid walking barefoot

Virginia Pro Tip:

Pull young plants after rain when the soil is soft. Wear gloves to protect against sap irritation, and always remove the entire taproot.

7. Wild Garlic:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Allium vineale
How they look: Thin hollow stems, onion odor, purple flower clusters.
Virginia Identification: Perennial; appears early spring; spreads via bulbs/mower blades

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Mowing releases a strong garlic smell.
Spread quickly through the Underground bulbs
Uses all the nitrogen

Control:

In spring, when actively growing
Apply herbicides
Dig deep
application of 2.4 D or dicamba

Prevention

Clean mower blades
Mow high

Virginia Pro Tip

Dig deep (4–6") to remove the bulbs to stop wild garlic from regrowing.

8. Buttonweed:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Diodia virginiana
How they look: Star-shaped white flowers, hairy stems, lance-shaped leaves.
Virginia Identification: Thrives in warm climate, rich, fertile soil. Deep roots survive drought, common in Manassas' low spots,

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Grows back from the root if left pieces.
Resistant to weedkillers
Damage the Lawn’s health

Control:

June - July
Improve drainage
Use herbicides
Overseed thin areas

Prevention

Avoid partial weeding
Avoid overwatering
Fertilize regular

Virginia Pro Tip

Buttonweed thrives in moist environments; improve drainage and prevent standing water.

9. White Clover:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Trifolium repens
How they look: Trio of heart-shaped leaves, white/pink globe flowers, creeping stems.
Virginia Identification: Thrives in low-nitrogen, thin lawns; common in Manassas backyards.

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Attract bees
Creates bare patches
Spreads rapidly via creeping stems and roots

Control:

Timing: May.
Proper lawn care
Removed by hand pulling
Use herbicides

Prevention

Aerate compacted soil
Overseed with turf-type tall fescue in fall
Overseed fescue in September

Virginia Pro Tip

Water weekly—strong roots outcompete clover and resist stress.

10. Ground ivy (Creeping Charlie):

Key Features

Scientific Name: Glechoma hederacea
How they look: low-grounded, Square stems and heart-shaped flowers, scalloped-edged leaves
Virginia Identification: Flowers in spring, Forms dense mats in shade; thrives in moist, acidic soils (common under NoVA trees); strong minty odor when crushed

Harm to Virginia Lawns

produces chemicals that damage other plants' growth
Spreads by creeping stems
Toxic for animals if digested.

Control:

Fall or spring
Use of herbicides
Killed by borax in solutions
Hand weeding
Maintain a healthy, dense lawn

Prevention

Mulch the lawn
Increase the reach of sunlight
Use chemical control

Virginia Pro Tip

Pull, then repeat! Manual removal is most effective when done every few weeks, just before the plant flowers.

11. Broadleaf Plantain:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Plantago major
How they look: Ribbed oval leaves, tall seed spikes, and low-growing weed rosettes.
Virginia Identification: Thrives in clay; leaves have parallel veins; Spring through fall across Virginia

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Thick taproots steal water and nutrients,
Attract rust fungus.

Control:

Fall (October)
Maintain tufgrass
Use mulch
Use preemergent herbicides like isoxaben, flumioxazin, or indaziflam
Treat with 2,4-D or triclopyr
Apply preemergents

Prevention

Aerate your lawn
Fill the soil’s low spots
Topdress with compost
Mow high (3.5–4")
Avoid overwatering
Apply preemergent herbicide in spring/fall

Virginia Pro Tip

Broadleaf Plantain is well known for its medicinal uses and its ability to heal wounds. However, for your lawn, if you have wet soil, aerate and overseed to promote a healthy lawn and reduce their presence.

12. Yellow Woodsorrel (Oxalis):

Key Features

Scientific Name: Scientific Name: Oxalis stricta (Common)
How they look: Leaflets like heart-shaped, 5 petals bright yellow flowers, and explosive seed pods.
Virginia Identification: Spring to early fall, thrives in moist, partially shaded temperatures; invades disturbed soil. Leaves fold at night or when touched.

Harm to Virginia Lawns, kidney damage if ingested.

Quick invasion
Forms dense mats in thin turf.

Control:

Hand removal of small pieces
Use of pre- & post-emergent herbicides like: Pendimethalin, topremazone

Prevention

Maintain turfgrass
Mulching
Overseed lawns

Virginia Pro Tip

Their young leaves can be used in salads, but make sure to remove them as they’re a pet hazard.

13. Purple Deadnettle:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Lamium purpureum
How they look: Red or purple leaves, square stems, and tubular-shaped flowers in pinkish-purple color
Virginia ID: arrives in winter, emerges November-March; forms dense mats in fertile soils, grows in huge patches, moist soils; top leaves turn deep purple.

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Form dense colonies
Might be allergic to individuals

Control:

Fall (Oct-Nov)
Apply pre-emergent in fall
Mow at the required height.
Use of herbicides

Prevention

Fix drainage in low spots
Maintain turfgrass

Virginia Pro Tip

Deadnettle thrives in Virginia's rich soil! In Manassas, test phosphorus early in spring. If it's high, skip the fertilizer to slow weed growth and protect waterways.

14. Corn Speedwell:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Veronica arvensis
How they look: Looks: Tiny blue flowers, heart-shaped seed pods, hairy oval leaves in opposite pairs.
Virginia Identification: Winter annual; low-growing (1-3"); invades thin, sandy soils (common in coastal VA); blooms in March-May

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Forms colonies by spreading seeds
Blocks grass growth
Explosive seed spreads
Uses all the nitrogen

Control:

Late winter (Feb)
Use herbicides
Mow high

Prevention

Spread a layer of compost
Avoid Overwater in winter
Full aeration

Virginia Pro Tip

Speedwell thrives in poor soil! Add half an inch of compost each year to enrich the soil and naturally help prevent weeds.

15. Hairy Bittercress:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Cardamine hirsuta
How they look: Tiny white flowers (4 petals), compound leaves with rounded leaflets, upright seed pods.
Virginia Identification: winter annual weeds, pods "pop" when touched, leaves are scalloped, and adapted to moist conditions.

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Steals nutrients from the soil
Spreads rapidly
Takes over thin or patchy areas.

Control:

Mowing
Hand weeding
Pr-emergent herbicides in the summer

Prevention

Remove fallen leaves
Water deeply once in a while
Avoid walking through seed pods

Virginia Pro Tip

Bittercress seeds explode when touched! Pull weeds while the soil is damp, as this makes roots easier to remove and keeps seeds in place.

16. Annual Bluegrass:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Poa annua
How they look: Features pale green tufts, boat-shaped leaf tips, and white, flag-like seed heads. Reaches a height of 4-12 inches.
Virginia Identification: diverse group, Winter annual; thrives in compacted soil (driveways/path edges); germinates after first fall rain; dies in summer heat, leaving bare patches.

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Weakens turf
Difficult to control
Grows faster than turf
Results in unattractive seed heads

Control:

Raise the mowing height
Apply preemergent herbicides

Prevention

Reduce foot traffic
Maintain turf
Manage small patches

Virginia Pro Tip:

Annual bluegrass thrives in stressed lawns. To control it, improve drainage, raise mowing height, and reduce watering frequency.

17. Yellow Nutsedge:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Cyperus esculentus
How they look: Glossy V-shaped blades, yellow-brown seed clusters.
Virginia Identification: grows 3x faster than grass; Sedges have triangular stems and dominate soggy clay (downspout zones), emitting a sweet odor when cut.

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Invades after rainy seasons
Difficult to remove
Spreads in soggy soil
Spreads all over the lawn

Control:

June, August
Add compost
Hand-pull young shoots
Don’t treat soil heavily with chemicals

Prevention

Better drainage system
Avoid overwatering
Aerate and overseed

Virginia Pro Tip

You can eat the tubers of nutsedge, also known as 'tiger nuts'. Roast them without chemicals, but make sure to solarize the soil to eliminate leftover nuts.

18. Lespedeza:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Lespedeza spp.
How they look: Woody stems; three oblong leaflets; small pink/purple pea-like flowers. (Aug-Oct)
Virginia Identification: Invades dry, compacted soils (driveways); survives summer droughts, grows fast after winter pruning

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Low-growing weeds
Spreads rapidly in thin, dry, compacted turf
Have woody stems
Spreads by seed
disrupts soil nitrogen

Control:

Hand-pull early
Mow high

Prevention

Proper Fertilization
Overseed bare spots
Avoid Scalping
Avoid overwatering

Virginia Pro Tip

Aerate compacted areas annually

19. Common ragweed:

Key features:

Scientific Name: Ambrosia artemisiifolia
How they look: fern-like, like finely divided leaves, yellow-greenish small clusters at the top,
Virginia Identification: Summer annual; seeds produce a large amount of pollen. Plants have both male and female flowers. Mature seeds by October, grows in disturbed areas.

Harm to Virginia lawn:

Makes wind-borne pollen, causing hay fever.
Release harmful chemicals near plants.
Highly invasive
Spreads rapidly

Control:

Manual Control
Hand-pull young plants (wear gloves)
heavy mulch
Use 2,4-D or dicamba in early summer
Apply per-emergent, prodiamine (Barricade) or corn gluten meal

Prevention:

Apply per-emergent herbicides
Maintain healthy turfgrass
Treat them early

Virginia pro tip:

Control ragweed early, before it flowers in late summer, to prevent the release of pollen and seeds that trigger allergies. For these Virginia weeds, use per-emergent in spring with mulch and dense planting for lasting prevention.

20. Foxtail:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Setaria spp
How they look: upright clumps with flat, hairy leaves and bottlebrush-like seed heads in colors like yellow, green, or giant, often found in dry areas.
Virginia Identification: Thrives in thin, drought-stressed turf (common in NoVA's clay soils during July heatwaves).

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Drought competitor
Rapid spread

Control:

Apply pendimethalin
Mow properly

Prevention

Mow high
Water deeply
Overseeding

Virginia Pro Tip

Foxtail loves bare spots—thicken turf with fall overseeding and apply spring pre-emergents early.

21. Black Medic:

Key Features

Scientific Name: Medicago lupulina
How they look: three oval leaflets, tiny yellow pea-like flowers densely clustered that resemble a mini ball.
Virginia Identification: Dry, compacted weeds in Virginia, low-nitrogen soils (Manassas clay)

Harm to Virginia Lawns

Creates uneven turf
Attract bees

Control:

Late spring through early summer
Mow regularly
Healthy turf grass
Hand pulling from wet soil
Use of herbicides
Aerate the soil
Add compost
Use Iron herbicide (Fiesta)

Prevention

Mow high
overseeding

Virginia Pro Tip;

Water deeply so that black medic doesn’t thrive in dry soil.

Safety tips for different types of lawn weeds:

Wear gloves.
Use goggles and a mask when using herbicides
Avoid touching unknown weeds
Use a guide to accurately identify weeds before treating them.
Always read herbicide labels (both synthetic and organic)
Opt for low-toxicity options, such as Fiesta iron herbicide.

Keep children and pets away from treated areas until they are dry or as advised.

Questions asked related to different kinds of weeds.

What are the most common types of weeds?

The most common lawn weeds in Virginia include dandelions, clover, crabgrass, spotted spurge, and common ragweed. They thrive in our humid climate and clay soils (especially in Manassas).

These various types of weeds infest lawns, gardens, and roadsides.

What are the three general types of weeds?

Different types of weeds fall into three main categories, based on their lifecycle and structure.

Broadleaf Weeds: They have wide, flat leaves and are often visible with flowers.

Grassy Weeds: You can call them imposters; they blend with the grass in your lawn without you knowing it.

Sedges: They are also grass-like but with a triangular stem that grows in wet or compacted soil. They cause more damage.

What weeds to avoid?

It’s better to stay away from these Virginia Weeds:

Spotted spurge (sap burns skin)
Thistles (spines puncture skin)
Poison ivy (often hides in shady lawns).

Wear gloves and use tools to avoid a reaction.

What type of weeds are the most difficult to get rid of?

Some low-growing weeds that are tough to get rid of include wild violet, Ground ivy, Nutsedge, and bermudagrass.

Are there any poisonous weeds?

Yes, several poisonous weeds can be harmful to humans or pets, requiring careful treatment and precautions. Always wear gloves when handling unknown weeds, especially those with milky sap or colorful berries. Some are: poison ivy, pokeweed.

Which weeds should you not touch?

Avoid touching Poison Ivy, Wild Parsnip, Pokeweed, Spotted Spurge, Jimsonweed, as they can cause skin irritation, rashes, or even poisoning:

Always wear gloves, long sleeves, and wash thoroughly when handling these weeds in Virginia.

What are the most invasive weeds in the garden?

In Virginia, invasive garden weeds such as mugwort, bindweed, wild strawberry, Japanese stiltgrass, ground ivy, white clover, and nutsedge spread aggressively through runners, rhizomes, or seeds, quickly overtaking lawns, flower beds, and vegetable gardens. They are difficult to control, as they regrow from root fragments or resist herbicides.

What weeds are spread by runners?

Common lawn weeds in Virginia, such as ground ivy, wild strawberry, white clover, and Bermuda grass, spread by runners, allowing them to root and grow quickly across lawns. Their spreading habit makes them difficult to remove completely.

Is it bad to have weeds in your yard?

Not all weeds are bad; let clover or violets grow in low-traffic areas to support soil and bees. Remove invasive weeds like nutsedge, thistle, or spurge that harm your lawn’s health and safety. Many of the weeds are edible and hold benefits related to health, but it’s better to keep your Virginia grass lawn turf grass healthy and away from weeds.