Doveweed

Doveweed (Murdannia nudiflora) is a summer annual weed species that belongs to the dayflower family.  Over the last three years, this weed has become an important weed problem in residential lawns and sod production.

It is very important to keep in mind that doveweed prefers wet areas, so drainage issues or over-watering will favor the establishment and growth of this weed. For this reason, ensuring irrigation is not excessive is a key management practice to control this problem. Another cultural practice that plays a major role on doveweed management is mowing. Mowing too short and too frequently will favor doveweed because its leaves will grow horizontally avoiding the mower blades. Chose a mowing height that allows good ground cover , yet only removes a third of the turf leaf blades.