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Common weeds

Identify common weeds

Knowing about a weed’s habit, biology, persistence & spread will help you to keep on top of it. Here is detailed information on more than 100 individual weeds, from dandelion to creeping buttercup, bindweed and ground elder.

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Type
    • Weed datasheets

    Broad-leaved dock

    The two main dock species are the broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius) and the curled dock (R. crispus). They are common throughout the UK both as the true species and as hybrids.

    • Weed datasheets

    Dove's-foot crane's-bill

    Dove’s-foot crane’s-bill is native on dry grassland, dunes, waste places and cultivated ground. It is widely distributed on pasture, scree, roadsides and railways.

  1. Hairy tare with little white flowers growing in the UK
    • Weed datasheets

    Hairy Tare

    Hairy tare is a scrambling annual, native in grassy places and rough ground throughout lowland Britain and is a weed of cultivated land.

  2. Purple Spear thistle flower
    • Weed datasheets

    Spear thistle

    Spear thistle is a robust biennial or short-lived monocarpic perennial that can be a serious problem in grassland and waste and cultivated ground throughout the UK.

  3. Hogweed flowers
    • Weed datasheets

    Hogweed

    Hogweed is a biennial, or monocarpic to polycarpic perennial native in grassy places, along hedges, on rough ground, roadsides and banks.

  4. Hemlock growing in the UK
    • Weed datasheets

    Hemlock

    An erect foetid annual, biennial or monocarpic perennial, native in damp ground, ditches, roadsides, hedgerows and waste ground. Hemlock is common throughout most of Britain.

    • Weed datasheets

    Goat's-beard

    Information on habit, biology, persistence & spread for Goat's-beard.

  5. Giant hogweed growing in the UK
    • Weed datasheets

    Giant hogweed

    Giant hogweed is scattered throughout the British Isles and is locally common especially along riverbanks. A native of the Caucasus mountains of south-west Asia, it was introduced in the late 19th century as an ornamental plant.

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    • Weed datasheets

    Evening-primrose

    Common evening primrose is a winter annual or biennial found on roadsides, railway tracks and waste places especially on light-sandy or gravely soils.

    • Weed datasheets

    Winter wild-oat

    Winter wild oat is an introduced annual grass weed of arable, waste and rough land usually on heavy soils.