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Virginia Buttonweed Is A Summer Problem

LSU AgCenter

Virginia buttonweed is one of the worst summer weeds infesting Louisiana turf grasses. The spread of this week has increased tremendously over the past few years.

Virginia buttonweed thrives on wet to moist soils and is highly drought tolerant as well. It has prostrate growing habit and forms dense mats that smother our lawns. It's easily identified by its opposite leaf arrangement and white flowers with a four-star shaped pedal. Sometimes the flowers can have a pink streak through the center of the two sepals.

The plant gets its name from the seed capsules, which resemble buttons hanging on the underside of the stem. Every seed capsule contains two seeds and has a nearly 100% germination rate. It can reproduce by seed, roots, and stem fragments.

This combination of characteristics aids this weed in becoming the number one weed problem in southern turf grasses.