Burrweed / Spurweed
Burrweed / Spurweed is a low-growing cool season annual weed commonly found in turfgrasses along the coast regions of the south and anywhere warm season turfgrasses are commonly grown. Burrweed comes up in the fall from seeds deposited the previous spring. It grows slowly through winter, flowers and sets seed again in the spring and then dies as temperatures warm up in late spring.
Burrweed is easily identified by its low ferny foliage and sharp, spiny seed pods, which ripen in late spring. It is best treated for in late winter and early spring. Once temperatures warm, it will be too late to control the plant from setting out seeds that will emerge again next winter.
Controlling Burrweed
Selective herbicides can be applied in the fall (October through November) and early spring (February through March) to kill these weeds when they are still small and actively growing. Look for a herbicide containing the active ingredient atrazine or a combination of the active ingredients 2,4-D, mecoprop and dicamba.