Weed ID Sheets
Identification and control of invasive species of the Midwest. Click the columns to sort weed ID sheets by name and feature.
General Information (back side of sheets)
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Family | Habit | Color | Prominent feature | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | aspen, big tooth | Populous grandidentata | Salicaceae (willow family) | tree | green | brown bark below, white bark above |
 | aspen, quaking | Populous tremuloides | Salicaceae (willow family) | tree | green | white bark |
 | autumn olive | Elaeagnus umbellata | Elaeagnaceae (oleaster family) | shrub | cream | silver underside of leaf |
 | bindweed, field | Convolvulus arvensis | Convolvulaceae (morning-glory family) | herbaceous vine | white | large white flower |
| bindweed, hedge | Convolvulus sepium | Convolvulaceae (morning-glory family) | herbaceous vine | white | large white flower |
 | birdsfoot trefoil | Lotus corniculatus | Fabaceae (legume family) | herbaceous | yellow | yellow flowers |
 | bishops goutweed | Aegopodium podagraria | Apiaceae (carrot family) | herbaceous | white | aggressive groundcover |
 | black locust | Robinia pseudoacacia | Fabaceae (legume family) | tree | white | thorny clonal tree |
 | boxelder | Acer negundo | Sapindaceae (soapberry family) | tree | green | 3 leaflets, ugly tree |
 | bush honeysuckle | Lonicera spp. | Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle family) | shrub | white, pink | showy flower, red berry |
 | Canada goldenrod | Solidago canadensis | Asteraceae (sunflower family) | herbaceous | yellow | fall yellow flowers |
 | cattails | Typha spp. | Typhaceae (cattail family) | herbaceous | green | large brown seed heads |
 | common buckthorn | Rhamnus cathartica | Rhamnaceae (buckthorn family) | shrub | green | dark berry |
 | common burdock | Arctium minus | Asteraceae (sunflower family) | herbaceous | magenta | sticky seed |
 | common ragweed | Ambrosia artemisiifolia | Asteraceae (sunflower family) | herbaceous | green | fern-like leaves |
 | common reed | Phragmites australis | Poaceae (grass family) | grass | green | grain |
 | creeping bellflower | Campanula rapunculoides | Campanulaceae (bellflower family) | herbaceous | purple | blue flowers |
 | creeping Charlie | Glechoma hederacea | Lamiaceae (mint family) | herbaceous | purple | distinctive smell |
 | crown vetch | Coronilla varia | Fabaceae (legume family) | herbaceous | pink | sprawling with purple flowers |
 | curly dock | Rumex crispus | Polygonaceae (smartweed family) | herbaceous | green | large brown seed head |
 | dames rocket | Hesperis matronalis | Brassicaceae (mint family) | herbaceous | magenta | attractive purple flowers |
 | deadly nightshade | Solanum dulcamara | Solanaceae (nightshade family) | woody vine | purple | dark berry |
 | deadnettle | Lamium sp. | Lamiaceae (mint family) | herbaceous | purple | aggressive groundcover |
 | enchanter’s nightshade | Circaea lutetiana | Onagraceae (evening primrose family) | herbaceous | white | sticky seed |
 | English ivy | Hedera helix | Araliaceae (ginseng family) | woody vine | white | dark spreading leaves |
 | European highbush cranberry | Viburnum opulus subsp. opulus | Adoxaceae (moschatel family) | shrub | white | red berry, all winter |
 | fig buttercup | Ranunculus ficaria | Ranunculaceae (buttercup family) | herbaceous | yellow | yellow early bloomer |
 | foxtail grasses | Setaria spp. | Poaceae (grass family) | grass | green | soft stiff seed heads |
 | garlic mustard | Alliaria petiolata | Brassicaceae (mint family) | herbaceous | white | small white flowers |
 | giant ragweed | Ambrosia trifida | Asteraceae (sunflower family) | herbaceous | green | tall with large leaves |
 | gooseberries | Ribes spp. | Grossulariaceae (currant family) | shrub | yellow | thorns |
 | great celandine | Chelidonium majus | Papaveraceae (poppy family) | herbaceous | yellow | large yellow flower |
 | grey dogwood | Cornus racemosa | Cornaceae (dogwood family) | shrub | white | white flowers, white berry |
 | Himalayan pokeweed | Phytolacca acinosa | Phytolaccaceae (pokeweed family) | herbaceous | white | dark berry |
 | Japanese barberry | Berberis thunbergii | Berberidaceae (barberry family) | shrub | yellow | thorns, red berries |
 | Japanese hedge parsley | Torilis japonica | Apiaceae (carrot family) | herbaceous | white | sticky seed |
 | Japanese hops | Humulus japonicus | Cannabaceae (hemp family) | herbaceous vine | green | aggressive vine |
 | Japanese knotweed | Polygonum cuspidatum | Polygonaceae (smartweed family) | herbaceous | white | large plant, large leaves |
 | Kentucky bluegrass | Poa pratensis | Poaceae (grass family) | grass | green | ubiquitous lawn grass |
 | lamb's quarters | Chenopodium album | Amaranthaceae (amaranth family) | herbaceous | green | mealy texture |
 | leafy spurge | Euphorbia esula | Euphorbiaceae (spurge family) | herbaceous | yellow | ugly greenish-yellow |
 | lettuce, prickly and wild | Lactuca spp. | Asteraceae (sunflower family) | herbaceous | yellow | spiny |
 | lily-of-the-valley | Convallaria majalis | Asparagaceae (asparagus family) | herbaceous | white | aggressive groundcover, white flowers |
 | motherwort | Leonurus cardiaca | Lamiaceae (mint family) | herbaceous | lavender | textured pointed leaves |
 | mullein | Verbascum thapsus | Scrophulariaceae (figwort family) | herbaceous | yellow | large spike of yellow flower |
 | multiflora rose | Rosa multiflora | Rosaceae (rose family) | shrub | white | red drupe |
 | Norway maple | Acer platanoides | Sapindaceae (soapberry family) | tree | green | wider leaf than sugar maple |
 | orange day lily | Hemerocallis fulva | Asphodelaceae (asphodel family) | herbaceous | orange | large orange flowers |
 | Oriental bittersweet | Celastrus orbiculatus | Celastraceae (staff-vine family) | woody vine | green | red/orange berries |
 | periwinkle | Vinca minor | Apocynaceae (dogbane family) | woody vine | purple | dark spreading leaves |
 | poison hemlock | Conium maculatum | Apiaceae (carrot family) | herbaceous | white | spotted stems |
 | poison ivy | Toxicodendron radicans | Anacardiaceae (cashew family) | woody vine | green | 3 leaflets, white berry |
| pokeweed, American | Phytolacca americana | Phytolaccaceae (pokeweed family) | herbaceous | white | dark berry |
 | porcelain berry | Ampelopsis brevipedunculatai | Vitaceae (grape family) | woody vine | green | purple & blue spotted berries |
 | prickly ash | Zanthoxylum americanum | Rutaceae (citrus family) | shrub | green | thorns, paired |
 | private, common | Ligustrum vulgare | Oleaceae (olive family) | shrub | white | dark berry |
 | privet, border | Ligustrum obtusifolium | Oleaceae (olive family) | shrub | white | dark berry |
 | purple loosestrife | Lythrum salicaria | Lythraceae (loosestrife family) | herbaceous | magenta | large purple flower spikes |
 | quack grass | Elytrigia repens | Poaceae (grass family) | grass | green | spreading roots |
 | Queen Anne's lace | Daucus carota | Apiaceae (carrot family) | herbaceous | white | abundant white flowers |
 | reed canary grass | Phalaris arundinacea | Poaceae (grass family) | grass | green | carpets wetlands |
| Russian olive | Elaeagnus angustifolia | Elaeagnaceae (oleaster family) | shrub | cream | silver underside of leaf |
 | Siberian elm | Ulmus pumila | Ulmaceae (elm family) | tree | green | tiny elm leaves |
 | sow thistle | Sonchus spp. | Asteraceae (sunflower family) | herbaceous | yellow | spiny |
 | spotted knapweed | Centaurea biebersteinii | Asteraceae (sunflower family) | herbaceous | magenta | dry site specialist |
 | stickseed | Hackelia virginiana | Boraginaceae (forget-me-not family) | herbaceous | white | sticky seed |
 | sumac, smooth | Rhus glabra | Anacardiaceae (cashew family) | shrub | green | red fruit clusters on top of stems |
 | sumac, staghorn | Rhus typhina | Anacardiaceae (cashew family) | shrub | green | red fruit clusters on top of stems |
 | teasel | Dipsacus spp. | Dipsacaceae (teasel family) | herbaceous | white lavender | abundant roadside spikes |
 | thistle, bull | Cirsium vulgare | Asteraceae (sunflower family) | herbaceous | magenta | spiny |
 | thistle, Canada | Cirsium arvense | Asteraceae (sunflower family) | herbaceous | magenta | spiny |
 | thistle, nodding | Carduus nutans | Asteraceae (sunflower family) | herbaceous | magenta | spiny |
| thistle, plumeless | Carduus acanthoides | Asteraceae (sunflower family) | herbaceous | magenta | spiny |
 | tree-of-heaven | Ailanthus altissima | Simaroubaceae (tree-of-heaven family) | tree | green | stinky when cut |
 | virginia creeper | Parthenocissus quincuefolia | Vitaceae (grape family) | woody vine | green | five leaflets |
 | white mulberry | Morus alba | Moraceae (mulberry family) | tree | green | dark berry |
 | white snakeroot | Ageratina altissima | Asteraceae (sunflower family) | herbaceous | white | late summer white flowers |
 | white sweet clover | Melilotus alba | Fabaceae (legume family) | herbaceous | white | white spike inflorescence |
| wild grape | Vitis riparia | Vitaceae (grape family) | woody vine | green | climbs trees |
 | wild parsnip | Pastinaca sativa | Apiaceae (carrot family) | herbaceous | yellow | big yellow flower |
 | wild raspberry | Rubus sp. | Rosaceae (rose family) | shrub | white | thorns |
 | wood avens | Geum canadense | Rosaceae (rose family) | herbaceous | white | sticky seed |
 | yellow archangel | Lamiastrum galeobdolon | Lamiaceae (mint family) | herbaceous | yellow | aggressive groundcover |
| yellow sweet clover | Melilotus officinalis | Fabaceae (legume family) | herbaceous | yellow | yellow spike inflorescence |