Weeds

A weed is a plant out of place, not intentionally sown, whose undesirable qualities outweigh its good points. Even crop plants can become weeds when they grow where they are not wanted. In contrast, a number of plants usually thought of as weeds may actually be helpful—in controlling erosion, serving as food for wild animals, birds or humans, or can be considered beautiful in their own right.

Canada Thistle	Vetch	Morning Glory (Bindweed)

Purple Loosestrife	Creeping Charlie	Chickweed

Garlic Mustard	Hairy Galinsoga	Woodsorrel

Common Purslane	Sowthistle	Dandelion

Cypress Spurge	Yellow Nutsedge	Quackgrass

Crabgrass	Ragweed	Shepherd's Purse

Lambsquarters	Pigweed	Plantain

Oriental Bittersweet	Poison Ivy	Giant Hogweed

Japanese Knotweed	Field Horsetail

Didn't find what you were looking for? More Help with Weed Identification

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[Photos, left to right: (Canada thistle) John M. Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Bugwood.org; (vetch) Dan Tenaglia, Missouriplants.com; (morning glory) K. George Beck & James Sebastian, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org; (purple loosestrife) John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org; (creeping charlie) Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org; (chickweed) Joseph M. DiTomaso, University of California - Davis, Bugwood.org; (garlic mustard) David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org; (hairy galinsoga) Joseph M. DiTomaso, University of California - Davis, Bugwood.org; (woodsorrel) Joseph M. DiTomaso, University of California - Davis, Bugwood.org; (purslane) Joseph M. DiTomaso, University of California - Davis, Bugwood.org; (sowthistle) Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org; (dandelion) Dave Powell, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org; (cypress spurge) Todd Pfeiffer, Klamath County Weed Control, Bugwood.org; (yellow nutsedge) Jeff Stachler, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org; (quackgrass) Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org; (crabgrass) Richard Old, XID Services, Inc., Bugwood.org; (ragweed) Ohio State Weed Lab Archive, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org; (shepherd's purse) Robert Vidéki, Doronicum Kft., Bugwood.org; (lambsquarters) Joseph M. DiTomaso, University of California - Davis, Bugwood.org; (pigweed) Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org; (plantain) Lynn Sosnoskie, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org; (Oriental bittersweet) Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University, Bugwood.org; (poison ivy) Catherine Herms, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org; (giant hogweed) Maine Department of Agriculture; (Japanese knotweed) Richard Old, XID Services, Inc., Bugwood.org; (field horsetail) Gil Wojciech, Polish Forest Research Institute, Bugwood.org; John Cardina, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org]

It is the policy of the State of Maine to minimize reliance on pesticides. The Maine Department of Agriculture and the Maine IPM Council encourage everyone to practice integrated pest management and to use pesticides only as a last resort. The mention of pesticides in the fact sheets linked to these pages does not imply an endorsement of any product. Be sure that any product used is currently registered and follow all label directions.

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Weeds

Didn't find what you were looking for? More Help with Weed Identification

Want to Know More? Links to More Information About Healthy Gardens and Lawns, Composting and Mulching, Beneficial Organisms, IPM and More

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