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Publication #ENH1125

 

Virginia Buttonweed Biology and Management in Turf1

Darcy E. P. Telenko, J. Bryan Unruh, Barry J. Brecke, and Ramon Leon2

Figure 1. 

Virginia buttonweed (Diodia virginiana) is a spreading perennial herb with hairy, branched stems. Leaves are opposite, elliptic to lance shaped, sessile, and joined across the stems by a membrane. The membrane has a few “hair-like” projections. Flowers are white and tubular with four lobes at each axil along the stem. The flower usually only has two sepals. Fruit form at each axil and are green, elliptically shaped, hairy, and ridged. Reproduction occurs via seed, roots, and stem fragments. Virginia buttonweed favors moist to wet sites and is found from New Jersey west to Missouri and south into the Gulf Coast states.

Figure 2. 

Herbicide options for controlling Virginia buttonweed in Florida turfgrass

(Always refer to the label for specific uses, application rates and turfgrass tolerance)

Bermudagrass

  • Preemergence: none

  • Postemergence: carfentrazone +2,4-D, clopyralid, 2,4-D+dicamba, dicamba, fluroxypyr, thiencarbazone+iodosulfuron+dicamba, thiencarbazone+floramsulfuron+halosulfuron, trifloxysulfuron

St. Augustinegrass

  • Preemergence: none

  • Postemergence: carfentrazone, 2,4-D+dicamba (follow label recommendations to minimize turf injury), dicamba, thiencarbazone+iodosulfuron+dicamba

Centipedegrass

  • Preemergence: none

  • Postemergence: carfentrazone+2,4-D, clopyralid, 2,4-D+dicamba, dicamba, fluroxypyr, thiencarbazone+iodosulfuron+dicamba, triclopyr+clopyralid

Bahiagrass

  • Preemergence: none

  • Postemergence: carfentrazone, clopyralid, 2,4-D+dicamba, dicamba, fluroxypyr, triclopyr+clopyralid

Seashore paspalum

  • Preemergence: none

  • Postemergence: carfentrazone

Zoysiagrass

  • Preemergence: none

  • Postemergence: carfentrazone+2,4-D, clopyralid, 2,4-D+dicamba, dicamba, fluroxypyr, thiencarbazone+iodosulfuron+dicamba, triclopyr+clopyralid, trifloxysulfuron

Perennial ryegrass

  • Preemergence: none

  • Postemergence: carfentrazone, clopyralid,2, 4-D+dicamba, dicamba, fluroxypyr, triclopyr+clopyralid

Refer to the publication Pest Control Guide for Turfgrass Managers at http://turf.ufl.edu/pdf/2012_UF_Pest_Control_Guide.pdf for brand names associated with chemical names listed.

Footnotes

1.

This document is ENH1125, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date July 2009. Revised February 2013. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Darcy E. P. Telenko, postdoctoral research associate; J. Bryan Unruh, professor, Environmental Horticulture Department; Barry J. Brecke, professor, and Ramon Leon, assistant professor, Agronomy Department; West Florida Research and Education Center, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, Dean.