Henbit

What it looks like

Square stems with rounded, scalloped, hairy leaves that wrap right around the stem with no leaf stalk. Small pink-purple tubular flowers appear in late winter into spring. Often confused with purple deadnettle, which has triangular leaves with stalks and purple-tinged tops.

Often mistaken for: Purple deadnettle

When it shows up in the Triangle

Sprouts in fall, sits semi-dormant through winter, then flowers and spreads in carpets from February through April.

Where you’ll see it

Shows up in thin or weak cool-season lawns and open landscape beds.

What you can do

• Overseed fescue lawns in fall to thicken turf and crowd it out
• Keep up with regular fertility so grass stays dense
• Mow at the right height to avoid thin, open patches
• Pull small patches by hand before they flower and go to seed