In order to control weeds and invasive plants, you need to know what you are up against.  Identifying plants can be a difficult task, even for an expert.

Fortunately there are of tools to help you identify and control weeds and invasive plants.

A weed is a plant out of place. Invasive plants are a special type of weed.

Invasive plants are introduced species that can thrive in areas beyond their natural range of dispersal. These plants are characteristically adaptable, aggressive, and have a high reproductive capacity. Their vigor combined with a lack of natural enemies often leads to outbreak populations.  

Exotic Invasive plants are from a different part of the world and so are very out of place. In their native location something limits their growth such as competition from other plants or insects that eat them. This competition is absent from your lawn and garden so they can grow unchecked and cause a big problem.

The plant does not have to be from another country to be an exotic invasive plant.  Plants from a different part of the United States can sometimes become invasive if transplanted to a different part. 

Controlling invasive plants is a part of integrated lawn and garden pest management.

Invasive plants are non-native plants that:

• grow aggressively or spread rapidly
• displace or out compete other plants, causing harm to our natural areas
• primarily exotic plants - those that originated in another part of the country or world

Violets are very interesting garden plants. Violets are best know for their fragrant flowers often used in floral arrangements. However, violets can also be herbs, food and a lawn weed or invasive plant.

Violets produce beautiful flowers with an elusive scent.

Bahia grass makes a relatively low-maintenance turfgrass. Bahia grass has less disease and insect problems than some of the other warm season grasses.  Bahia grass is a warm season grass.

Bahia grass only starts growth at temperatures above 50 °F, and grows fastest when temperatures are between 77 °F and 95 °F, with one long growth period over the spring and summer. Bahia grass goes dormant in cooler months, turning shades of tan or brown. Bahia grass is quite drought tolerant, and can handle very high summer temperatures. Winter temperatures below 5 °F can kill Bahia grass.

Bahia grass is easily identifed by its V-shaped flower spikes.