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Oct 10, 2023 · In this article, you'll learn about the eleven most common weeds that carry purple flowers, to help you decide if these weeds need to be eradicated, or if they are safe to keep around your home. Written by Jason Wilson Last updated: October 10, 2023 | 12 min read.
- Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) Blue vervain is a common perennial purple weed that spreads in areas of your yard where you don’t want it. The annoying purple-flowering weed is identified by its tall, erect stems and clusters of small bluish-purple or lavender flowers.
- Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) Bugleweed is a low-growing perennial weed with purple flowers. Its uncontrolled growth comes from its creeping habit, where it spreads through stolons.
- Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense) Canada thistle is a perennial flowering weed that can quickly take over gardens, filling them with jagged leaves and pale purple flowers.
- Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans) Also called nodding thistle, this purple-flowering noxious weed can be difficult to control in backyards. Identification features of musk thistles are their large magenta-purple flower heads, dark green leaves with white spiny margins, and a strong root system.
- Purple Violet. It's no wonder that purple violets are so pretty: they're relatives of pansies (Viola x wittrockiana). These spring-blooming perennials are compact plants with lovely flowers.
- Gill (Creeping Charlie) This common lawn weed has a number of alternate common names, including "creeping Charlie." This vine-like perennial spreads from seeds, roots (or rhizomes), and stems that root at the nodes.
- Bugleweed. Bugleweed is a perennial, weedy ground cover that spreads via stolons. It bears glossy, dark-green leaves and blue, violet, or purple flowers that grow in spikes.
- Bittersweet Nightshade. Unrelated to oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), bittersweet nightshade, like its namesake, is perennial and will climb if it finds support.
- Purple Deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) Purple deadnettle, scientifically known as Lamium purpureum, is a prevalent weed often found in gardens and lawns across the United States.
- Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) Henbit, scientifically known as Lamium amplexicaule, is a member of the Lamium family and shares similarities with Purple Deadnettle.
- Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) Creeping Charlie, scientifically known as Glechoma hederacea, is a low-growing weed with distinct purple flowers that typically bloom in early spring.
- Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) Ground Ivy, scientifically known as Glechoma hederacea, is a member of the mint family, similar to Creeping Charlie. This weed is characterized by its small purple flowers and round leaves that bear a resemblance to those of Creeping Charlie.
- Blue Vervain
- Bugleweed
- Bull Thistle
- Canada Thistle
- Chives
- Comfrey
- Dove’S-Foot Geranium
- Fireweed
- Ground Ivy
- Heal-All
While the name says “blue,” the flowers of blue vervain are actually purple or violet. The plants grow about 2 to 3 feet tall and send up stunning flower spikes with tiny purple flowers. These tend to grow at the shady edges of fields, especially in places with consistent moisture. The Blue vervain is an incredibly valuable medicinal flower used to...
This low-growing lawn weed with purple flowers is known by many names, including Bugleweed, Bugle, Blue Bugle, Sweet Bugle, Common Bugle, Carpet Bugleweed, Carpetweed, Carpenter’s Herb, gypsy Weed, Gypsywort, Wolf’s Mint (Menta de Lobo), Green Wolf’s Foot and occasionally the St. Lawrence Plant. They say a well-loved child has many names, and the s...
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who loves bull thistle, besides the bees. Step on this plant once wearing sandles and you know what I mean. It can grow in lawns, where it’ll spread out flat as a rosette to avoid mowing. When you see the purple flowers, however, it’s usually sent up a tall flower spike that’s 3 to 6 feet in height. Every part ...
Also known as Creeping thistle, this spiny plant is incredibly invasive, and nearly impossible to irradicate. When mowed, it’ll hunker down into a spiny rosette, just waiting for a period of neglect where it can send up a flower spike full of fluffy purple flowers. The flowers are very popular with the bees, but once pollinated, they can send out t...
I know a lot of you are thinking that chives are not a “weed” and that’s partially true. Many people do grow chives in their gardens, but they also often escape cultivation and take up residence in fields and lawns. Walking across a hayfield right after we moved to Vermont, I came across multiple patches of chives, all thriving in the wild. Later t...
Well known in permaculture circles, comfrey is commonly used to attract pollinators and improve soils. It’s what’s known as a “green manure” and it’s chopped regularly to add to the compost for more organic matter. The problem is, comfrey is incredibly invasive and nealry impossible to irradicate once established. Even a small part of the root left...
Also known as doves food cranebill, or sometimes wild geranium, this is one downright beautiful weed. Honestly, if you find it in your flower beds, most people would assume it was intentionally planted. We found it in ours, and I assumed the previous owners planted it. Maybe they did. Just because something is a weed and spreads wildly doesn’t mean...
Also known as rosebay willowherb, fireweed is a primary succession plant that takes over after fires, floods or other disturbances. In Alaska, it’s said that they track the progress of the summer by the blossoms progress up the stalk. When they reach the top, summer’s pretty much over, and winter’s not far off. Every part of fireweed is edible and ...
Also known as creeping Charlie and Ale Hoof, ground ivy has been used for centuries as both food and medicine. Its name “ale hoof” refers to its use in beer brewing before hops became common. (The leaves have a hoof shape, so that’s where the “hoof” comes from.) This is one of the most common lawn weeds with purple flowers, and it tends to take ove...
With a name like heal all, there’s something special about this low-growing weed with purple flowers. It’s been used medicinally by cultures all over the world, and as you guessed, it’s reputed to heal almost everything. Here’s how to identify Heal-All (Prunella vulgaris).
May 17, 2024 · This list includes some of the most common weeds with purple flowers to help you identify your local invader. Each weed summary includes tips for eradication for the specific species and lawn maintenance tips you can use to prevent the weed from spreading.
Weeds with purple flowers often start off looking like a nice addition to your landscape but can frequently take over areas from “pretty flower” to a giant mess. In this article, I will share with you how to identify common purple-flowered weed types and offer some tips on eliminating them.
