03/21/2026
Here's some information from your friends at Diamond outdoor. You ever wondered what are those " ugly purple w**ds" you see in early March? Well here is some general knowledge of this w**d:
The "ugly" purple flower w**ds that cover the ground in early spring are almost certainly Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) or Purple Deadnettle (Lamium purpureum). Both are winter annuals that germinate in the fall, stay low to the ground during winter, and grow aggressively in early spring before dying when the weather heats up.
Here is how to identify and deal with these early spring invaders:
1. Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule)
Appearance: Features tiny pink-to-purple tubular flowers and rounded, scalloped leaves.
Key Identifier: The upper leaves "clasp" the stem directly (they have no stem or stalk connecting them to the main stalk).
Habit: Grows in sparse, sunny, or disturbed areas, often appearing as a dense, low growing mat.
2. Purple Deadnettle (Lamium purpureum)
Appearance: Known for having more triangular-shaped leaves that are distinctly purple or reddish near the top of the plant.
Key Identifier: Its leaves have small stalks (petioles) connecting them to the stem, unlike henbit.
Habit: Tends to be more upright and fuzzy, preferring cool, moist areas.
3. Other Potential Candidates
Creeping Charlie / Ground Ivy: A perennial with similar purple flowers, but it has rounder, scalloped leaves on long creeping vines that root at the nodes.
Wild Violet: A very hardy, low-growing perennial with dark green leaves and violet-colored flowers, often found in shade.
Management Tips
Hand-Pulling: Both henbit and purple deadnettle have shallow taproots and are very easy to pull by hand in the spring.
Mowing: Mowing over them can limit seed production, but since they grow so low, it may not remove them entirely.
Prevention: The most effective control is applying a pre-emergent herbicide in the fall to prevent seeds from germinating.
When to Ignore: Since they are winter annuals, they will naturally die off in the late spring heat, making intense chemical treatment less necessary if they aren't choking out other plants.
These plants are actually beneficial to early-season pollinators like honeybees and bumblebees.
