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Virginia Buttonweed Biology and Management in Turf1

Darcy E. P. Telenko, Ramon G. Leon, and J. Bryan Unruh 2

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 1. 
Figure 1. 

Figure 2. 
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, penoxsulam+sulfentrazone+dicamba+2,4-D, 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, penoxsulam+sulfentrazone+dicamba+2,4-D, thiencarbazone+iodosulfuron+dicamba

Centipedegrass

  • Preemergence: none

  • Postemergence: carfentrazone+2,4-D, clopyralid, 2,4-D+dicamba, dicamba, fluroxypyr, penoxsulam+sulfentrazone+dicamba+2,4-D, 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, penoxsulam+sulfentrazone+dicamba+2,4-D, 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, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date June 2009. Revised February 2013 and April 2016. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
2. Darcy E. P. Telenko, former postdoctoral research associate; Ramon G. Leon, assistant professor, Agronomy Department; and J. Bryan Unruh, professor, Environmental Horticulture Department; UF/IFAS West Florida Research and Education Center, Jay, FL 32565.