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Weed Identification in Nurseries and Landscapes

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Curly dock - Rumex crispus L.
Weed Identification in Nurseries and Landscapes > Curly dock
Curly dock seedling
Curly dock mature seedhead.
Life cycle: Erect, taprooted simple perennial.

Leaves: Alternate, long and narrow with round to pointed tips and wavy margins. Leaves are shaped like bacon strips.

Stems: Forms a basal rosette that bolts prior to flowering, unbranched, reaching 3 to 4 feet in height. A membranous sheath (ocrea) surrounds the stem at the base of
each petiole.

Flowers and fruit: Flowers are small, usually greenish and found in clusters on the upper stems, becoming reddish brown at maturity. The seed is enclosed in a single-seeded, shiny, reddish brown, three-sided fruit.

Reproduction: Seeds and fleshy taproot.
 
Curly dock seedling Curly dock flower Curly dock rosette
Curly dock seedling. Curly dock flower cluster. Curly dock rosette.
 
Broadleaf dock rosette
Broadleaf dock rosette.
Similar weeds: Broadleaf dock
(R. obtusifolius L.)
Differs by having much wider, broader leaves and usually heart-shaped leaf bases.
Broadleaf dock leaf
Broadleaf dock leaf.
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: 10/17/07