What looks similar to ground ivy?

14 years ago

What I read about ground ivy, this stuff acts the same way but it looks a bit different. The leaves are round almost like a water lily leaf (but tiny) and shiny and no serated edges. It spreads quickly, vining it's way through St. Augustine rooting at every leaf and the vine is no bigger than a thread. What is this stuff? Can it be pulled by hand because I don't like to use chemicals? Can it co-exist with St. Augustine or will it smother it?

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Comments (7)

dchall_san_antonio
14 years ago
Whatever it is most broadleaf weeds will overtake St Augustine, so start pulling now. Anything (almost) can be pulled by hand. Some plants are more tedious and tenacious. There are a few that require RoundUp but can be controlled without actually spraying.

With that in mind you don't really need a diagnosis, but if you want one, post a picture. If you can find some with a flower or seed stalk, get that in the picture to help identify it.
Gardener972
Original Author
14 years ago
I think I found it... Dollar Weed. Ours though is a smooth, round leaf whereas the dollar weed I'm seeing on-line is slightly serated. Probably the same thing though. What a mess trying to pull that c%#p!!!
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dchall_san_antonio
14 years ago
There are so many weeds called dollar weed that the term means very little. Can you find a picture on a web page and link to that? Do you see it on this page?
Gardener972
Original Author
14 years ago
Here it is. It's dichondra.
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~sbea/images/plants/dichondra_repens.jpg
dchall_san_antonio
14 years ago
{{gwi:90567}}

Yup, that's dichondra. When I was a kid, dichondra lawns were the rage. We had one until we gave up the fight against bermuda and nutgrass. It was beautiful, but really isn't great as a lawn.

Dichondra, when left alone with no insecticide, will not last through the summer. In the mean time it will drop lots of seeds and be ready for next spring when it drops more. I have some this year for the first time in a long time. Apparently the drought combined with massive rains was the right combination for it. I'm letting it go, though because we rarely get it. Yes it will eventually smother ST Augustine, but it is not as efficient in that task as many other broadleaf plants. If you want to get rid of it, regular Weed-B-Gone would work.

And you are right. Pulling dichondra is a royal pain in the butt. Either rely on the flea beetles of summer or spray it out. Since you don't want to use chemicals, try letting it go just this year and see if you see it go away after the 4th of July.

Oh and dichondra needs frequent water. If you are watering infrequently, it might go away sooner than 4th of July.
rudy6897
13 years ago
I am having quite a time battling a unique viney weed in my St. Augustine yard. I will attach several pictures.

It is a very wirery vine that spreads like a spider web throughout the lawn, and it will choke out the St. Augustine .

I have two large Camphor trees in my front yard, so will also spot some of the sprouts from the berries that drop like rainfall into the grass.

When I run my fingers thru the grass to snag the weed, and I proceed to pull it up, it tends to run in lengthy spans and also branch off into other directions.

I tried Atrazine a couple of years ago, and then I tried Image with Imazaqun another growing season.

I have also used Fetilome Dollar Weed Control Plus, which supposedly contains the "latest & greatest" weed killer, Penoxsulam.

Please let me know if you can identify this weed in my pictures.
I certainly appreciate your time!
Sincerely,
Bruce
mama_lbug
11 years ago
I have another plant that looks similar to ground ivy. I intially thought it was until I noticed the leaves although they have the same shape they have splits. The stems are round, green and have very tiny hairs. The leaves also have very tiny hairs. Any help would be appreciated. I've taken a new hobby of identifying wild edibles.

What looks similar to ground ivy?

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What looks similar to ground ivy?

Comments (7)

dchall_san_antonio

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