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Weed Identification in Nurseries and Landscapes

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Prostrate knotweed - Polygonum aviculare L.
Weed Identification in Nurseries and Landscapes > Prostrate knotweed
Prostrate knotweed flower Prostrate knotweed ocrea
Prostrate knotweed leaf and flower. Prostrate knotweed ocrea.
Prostrate knotweed seedling
Prostrate knotweed seedling.
Life cycle: Prostrate, mat-forming summer annual.

Leaves: Alternate, narrow oval to oblong leaves with pointed tips, smooth margins and short
petioles.

Stems: Prostrate, tough, wiry stems with distinct nodes are highly branched and mat-forming. Plants perform well in compacted areas. A membranous sheath (ocrea) surrounds the stem at the base of each petiole.

Flowers and fruit: Small, inconspicuous flowers are white to pinkish and clustered in the leaf axils. The seed is enclosed in a single-seeded, dark reddish brown, three-sided fruit.

Reproduction: Seeds.
Prostrate knotweed plant
Prostrate knotweed plant.
The MSU IPM Program maintains this site as an access point to pest management information at MSU. The IPM Program is administered within the Department of Entomology, fueled by research from the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, delivered to citizens through MSU Extension, and proud to be a part of Project GREEEN.
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Updated: 10/18/07