Which Lawn Weeds Have Purple Flowers?

Quick Answer: The purple flowers popping up in your lawn are almost always one of a handful of usual suspects — purple deadnettle, henbit, ground ivy (creeping Charlie), creeping bellflower, a few thistles, wild violets, or purple nutsedge. Good news: all but one are broadleaf weeds, which means a standard selective herbicide will knock them out without hurting your grass. The exception is purple nutsedge — it's a sedge, not a broadleaf, so it needs a sedge-specific herbicide like Certainty® or SedgeHammer® instead. 

Ever spotted little purple flowers scattered across your lawn and wondered if you're looking at a weed or an actual wildflower that wandered in? You're not alone — it's one of the more common "wait, is this a problem?" moments homeowners bring to us.

Here's the short version: yes, it's almost certainly a weed, and it's probably one of these:

• Purple deadnettle (Lamium purpureum)

• Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule)

• Ground ivy / Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea)

• Creeping bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides)

• Musk, Canada, or bull thistle (Carduus nutans, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium vulgare)

• Wild violets (Viola sororia)

• Purple cudweed (Gnaphalium purpureum)

• Purple vetch (Vicia benghalensis)

• Purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus)

Golf Course Lawn Tip: Some of these are genuinely pretty. That doesn't mean they're harmless. Most spread aggressively enough to smother the grass around them, competing for water, nutrients, and sunlight your turf needs to stay thick and healthy.

Here's a fast reference before we get into the details on each one:

Weed	Quick ID	Life Cycle	Best Herbicide Type
Purple deadnettle	Triangular leaves, purple-tinged, square stems	Winter annual	Broadleaf, pre-emergent in fall
Henbit	Rounded, scalloped leaves that clasp the stem	Winter annual	Broadleaf, pre-emergent in fall
Ground ivy (Creeping Charlie)	Scalloped leaves, creeping stems, minty smell when cut	Perennial	Broadleaf, fall application
Creeping bellflower	Bell-shaped flowers, upright, spreads by rhizome	Perennial	Broadleaf, during active growth
Thistles	Spiky leaves and bracts, upright growth	Varies by species	Broadleaf, before flowering
Wild violets	Heart-shaped waxy leaves, low-growing	Perennial	Broadleaf, repeat applications
Purple nutsedge	Grass-like but triangular stem, thrives in wet soil	Perennial	Sedge-specific (not standard broadleaf)

Appearance: Low-growing plant with square stems reaching 12 to 15 inches. Heart-shaped leaves tinged with purple, particularly on the upper side.

Flowers: Distinctive, vibrant purplish-pink to purple flowers in clusters in the upper leaf axils, blooming from early spring to late fall.

Habitat: Commonly found in disturbed areas, lawns, gardens, and along roadsides. Thrives in fertile, well-drained soils.

Life cycle: Winter annual or biennial, germinating in fall, overwintering as a small rosette, and flowering in spring. Produces abundant seeds, contributing to rapid spread.

 

Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) 

Appearance: Similar to purple deadnettle with square stems, opposite, rounded, toothed leaves that clasp the stem (amplexicaul).

Flowers: Produces purplish-pink to purple flowers in whorls in the upper leaf axils, blooming in late winter and early spring.

Habitat: Commonly found in lawns, gardens, and disturbed areas, preferring fertile soils with good drainage.

Life cycle: Winter annual, germinating in fall, overwintering as a rosette, then bolting and flowering in spring. Produces numerous seeds, contributing to establishment and spread.

How can you tell deadnettle and henbit apart at a glance? 

Look at where the leaves meet the stem. Deadnettle's upper leaves have short little stalks (petioles); henbit's upper leaves wrap directly around the stem with no stalk at all. If the leaf looks "attached," it's henbit. If it looks "stapled on with a tiny handle," it's deadnettle.

Control Strategies for Purple Deadnettle and Henbit

Selective pre-emergent herbicides: Apply pre-emergent herbicides in the fall to disrupt the life cycle of seeds, minimizing the chance of infestations.

• Cool-season lawns — Tenacity Herbicide (can also be used as a post-emergent weedkiller)
• Warm-season lawns — Specticle FLO
• Warm and cool-season lawns — Prodiamine 0-0-7 pre-emergent with fertilizer.

Selective post-emergent herbicides: Use specialized herbicides designed for broadleaf weed control in lawns. Apply during active weed growth to target purple deadnettle and henbit while preserving grasses.

• Warm-season lawns — Celsius and Certainty Herbicide Kit with Surfactant and Dye
• Cool-season lawns — Tenacity and Sedgehammer Herbicide Kit with Surfactant and Dye
• Warm and cool-season lawns — Triad Select™ Herbicide

 

Ground Ivy/Creeping Charlie

Also known as Creeping Charlie, ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) boasts bluish-purple flowers and a low-growing, creeping nature. This perennial weed can be invasive, spreading across lawns and gardens with ease.

Why does ground ivy show up specifically in shady, thin patches of lawn? 

Because that's exactly the environment where turfgrass is weakest and can't compete. According to the University of Minnesota Extension, ground ivy thrives in shaded, moist areas where turf is thin — so if you're seeing it spread, it's often a sign of a shade or drainage issue as much as a weed problem on its own.

Ground Ivy Characteristics

Growth habit: Prostrate growth, forming dense mats close to the ground, spreading through creeping stems (stolons) that root at nodes.

Leaves: Rounded and scalloped, resembling common ivy, often dark green but can turn purple in cooler weather.

Flowers: Small, tubular, bluish-purple flowers in clusters, blooming in spring and attracting bees.

Habitat: Thrives in shaded or partially shaded areas, adaptable to various soil types and moisture conditions, commonly found in lawns, gardens, and wooded areas.

Invasiveness: Highly invasive, spreading rapidly through vegetative growth and seed production. Can outcompete desirable grass species, leading to a decline in overall lawn health.

Ron’s Tip: Don't bother hand-pulling ground ivy unless you're only dealing with a few isolated sprigs. It roots at every single node along the stem, so a half-pulled patch just means twice as many new plants next month.

Control Strategies for Ground Ivy

Selective post-emergent herbicides: Use broadleaf weed control herbicides that selectively target ground ivy while sparing grass. Multiple applications may be required for optimal control.

• Warm-season lawns — Celsius and Certainty Herbicide Kit with Surfactant and Dye
• Cool-season lawns — Tenacity and Sedgehammer Herbicide Kit with Surfactant and Dye
• Cool and warm-season lawns — Triad Select™ Herbicide  

Fall herbicide application: Apply herbicides in the fall when ground ivy stores energy in its roots for winter. This timing can enhance the effectiveness of herbicide treatments.

Shade reduction: Reduce shade in affected areas by pruning overhanging branches or thinning out trees. Creating a less shaded environment makes it less favorable for ground ivy growth.

 

Related: How to Get Rid of Creeping Charlie (Ground Ivy) in Your Lawn

 

Creeping Bellflower

With bell-shaped purple flowers, creeping bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides) may seem charming at first, but its invasive nature can quickly turn it into a menace. Found in gardens and lawns, this perennial weed spreads through rhizomes, making it a persistent adversary.

Why is creeping bellflower so hard to get rid of for good? 

It comes down to the roots. Beyond seeds, it spreads through extensive underground rhizomes, and any piece of rhizome left behind after pulling can regrow into a brand new plant. That's the same trait that makes ground ivy so stubborn, just underground instead of on the surface.

Creeping Bellflower Characteristics

Height: Reaches 1 to 3 feet in height, depending on growing conditions.

Stems and leaves: Upright, branching stems with serrated, alternately arranged, heart-shaped or lanceolate leaves.

Flowers: Distinctive bell-shaped flowers with five fused petals, varying from pale lavender to deep purple. Borne in terminal racemes.

Habitat: Adaptable to various soils, thrives in sunny or partially shaded areas. It is found in disturbed areas, gardens, lawns, and along roadsides.

Invasiveness: It is highly aggressive and invasive, reproducing through seeds and extensive underground rhizomes. Its rapid spread makes control and eradication challenging.

Ron’s Tip: If you're going the manual-removal route, plan on digging, not pulling. Pulling snaps the rhizome and leaves the regrowth-capable piece right in the soil — a garden fork to loosen the whole root system first will save you from doing this all over again next month. 

Control Strategies for Creeping Bellflower

Manual removal: Hand-pull or dig out plants and rhizomes for small infestations. Ensure thorough removal of rhizomes to prevent regrowth.

Selective post-emergent herbicides: Use selective herbicides for perennial broadleaf weed control. Apply during active growth, following label instructions for optimal effectiveness.

• Cool and warm-season lawns — Triad Select™ Herbicide 

 

Related: Which Lawn Weeds Have Yellow Flowers?

 

Thistles

With their distinctive spiky appearance, thistles are another group of weeds that can infiltrate lawns. Some species, such as musk thistle (Carduus nutans), display purple flowers. Thistles are resilient and can quickly take over if left unchecked. Regular monitoring and prompt removal are crucial.

Why do thistles seem to "explode" overnight once you spot them? 

By the time you notice the spiky flower head, the plant has usually already spent a full season building a deep taproot below ground. What looks sudden above the surface is really the final stage of a much longer establishment period — which is exactly why catching thistles before they flower and set seed matters so much more than treating them after.

Thistle Characteristics

Leaves: Thistle leaves are typically alternate, deeply lobed, and often have spines along the margins. The shape and appearance of the leaves can vary between species.

Stems: Thistle stems are often tall and erect, and some species can have a branching structure. The stems may be hairy or have spines.

Flowers: Thistle flowers are typically composite, consisting of disk florets surrounded by bracts forming a spiky structure. The flowers can be shades of purple, pink, or lavender, often attractive to pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Common Thistle Species

Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans)

Musk thistle is known for its nodding or drooping flower heads and is considered invasive in some regions. It produces distinctive spiny bracts.

Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense)

Despite its name, Canada thistle is native to Europe and Asia. It has creeping roots and can form dense colonies, making it challenging to control.

Bull Thistle/Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

Bull thistle is recognizable by its large, globe-shaped flower heads and spiny bracts. It's found in various habitats and is considered invasive in some areas.

Ron’s Tip: Canada thistle spreads through creeping roots as much as seed, so pulling the visible plant without getting the root system usually just triggers new shoots nearby. If you're hand-managing a small patch, expect to be back at it more than once. 

Control Strategies for Thistles

Mechanical control: Small infestations can be effectively managed by hand-pulling or cutting thistles before they produce seeds. However, due to the spines, protective gloves are recommended.

Selective post- and pre-emergent herbicides: Selective herbicides designed for broadleaf weed control can manage thistles in larger areas. Herbicide application is often more effective before thistles flower and set seed.

• Warm-season lawns — Celsius® WG / Specticle FLO (pre-emergent)

• Cool-season lawns — Tenacity Herbicide / Prodiamine (pre-emergent)

 

Related: How to Get Rid of Weeds — Everything You Need to Know

 

Selfheal (Heal-All)

Selfheal, scientifically known as Prunella vulgaris, is a low-growing herbaceous perennial plant often considered a weed in lawns and gardens. It's also commonly called heal-all thanks to its long history in traditional herbal medicine. 

Why does selfheal keep coming back even after mowing? 

Because it grows so close to the ground — usually under 12 inches — that a mower blade barely touches it. Regular mowing controls many lawn weeds by cutting off their ability to flower and seed, but selfheal's low, mat-forming habit lets it dodge that entirely, which is why it often needs a more targeted approach than "just mow more." 

Selfheal Characteristics

Height: Grows to 6 to 12 inches, forming dense ground-level mats.

Leaves: Opposite, lance-shaped, serrated edges, often hairy with a slightly toothed margin.

Flowers: Dense, cylindrical spikes of tubular flowers, commonly purplish-lavender. Blooms late spring to early summer.

Habitat: Versatile, thriving in lawns, meadows, open woodlands, and disturbed areas. Adaptable to various soil types and moisture conditions.

Ron’s Tip: Mowing frequently still helps, just not for the reason you'd expect — it won't kill selfheal outright, but it does prevent seed head formation, which slows how fast it spreads to new areas of the lawn. 

Control Strategies for Selfheal/Heal-All

Cultural practices: As with all of the weeds mentioned here, maintaining a healthy, well-managed lawn through proper mowing, watering, and fertilization can help reduce the establishment and spread of selfheal. Mow the lawn frequently to prevent seed head formation and stop the weed from spreading.

Manual removal: Hand-pulling or digging out the plants can be effective for small infestations. Remove as much of the roots as possible to prevent regrowth.

Selective post-emergent herbicides: Selective herbicides designed for broadleaf weed control can be used to manage selfheal. Herbicide application is often more effective when the plant is actively growing.

• Cool-season lawns — Tenacity Herbicide (pre and post-emergent)

• Cool and warm-season lawns — Triad Select™ Herbicide. 

Slender Speedwell

Slender speedwell (Veronica filiformis) is a low-growing, herbaceous annual weed belonging to the Plantaginaceae family. Known for its slender stems and small, pale blue to violet flowers, it often shows up in lawns, gardens, and other cultivated areas, competing with desirable plants for resources. 

Why is slender speedwell so hard to kill with a single treatment?

It's genuinely one of the more herbicide-resistant lawn weeds out there, and it can also regenerate from small stem fragments left behind after mowing. That combination means most homeowners need more than one application, spaced out, rather than expecting a single spray to finish the job. 

Slender Speedwell Characteristics

Height: Grows close to the ground, with stems ranging from a few inches to about a foot.

Stems and leaves: Thin, branching stems covered in fine hairs. Opposite, oval to lance-shaped leaves with serrated margins.

Flowers: Small, tubular, pale blue to violet flowers with four petals. Clustered along stems, blooming in spring and early summer.

Habitat: Adaptable to various soils, thrives in both sunny and partially shaded areas. Commonly found in lawns, gardens, and disturbed areas. Spreads through seeds, forming dense patches.

Ron’s Tip: Bag your cuttings when mowing an area with slender speedwell. Since it can regrow from stem fragments, leaving cut pieces behind is basically handing it a head start on spreading somewhere new.

Control Strategies for Slender Speedwell

Remove grass cuttings when mowing the lawn, as slender speedwell can regenerate from fragments of old stems. It can be treated with lawn sand during the early spring, but this will not kill the weed; it will just knock it back a little.

Pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides: Selective herbicides designed for broadleaf weed control can manage slender speedwell. More than one application will likely be needed for management as the weed is resistant to most weed-killing ingredients.

• Warm-season lawns — Celsius® WG 

• Cool and warm-season lawns — Triad Select™ Herbicide / Prodiamine (pre-emergent)

 

Related: The Best Crabgrass Weed Killers That Won’t Kill Your Turfgrass

 

Wild Pansies/Violets

Wild violets are charming, low-growing plants that can add a touch of color to natural settings. In lawns and gardens, though, they're usually considered a weed, since they spread rapidly and compete directly with turfgrass. The species most commonly found in US lawns is Viola sororia, the common blue violet, part of the Violaceae family. 

Why is wild violet one of the toughest lawn weeds to actually get rid of? 

Two reasons stack together: its thick, waxy leaf coating resists absorption by many standard herbicides, and it spreads two ways at once — through underground rhizomes and through seeds, including flowers that form and release seed without ever opening above ground. That means it can keep spreading even in a season where you never see it bloom. 

Wild Violet Characteristics:

Appearance: Low-growing plants with heart-shaped leaves and distinctive flowers featuring five petals in purple, yellow, and white shades with a characteristic “face” pattern.

Growth habit: Spreads through seeds and rhizomes, forming dense mats that can outcompete surrounding grasses.

Habitat: It thrives in various environments, including lawns, meadows, open woods, and disturbed areas. It prefers moist, well-drained soil, often found in partially to fully shaded locations.

Competitive nature: Forms dense colonies, low growth habit, competing with desirable turfgrass for sunlight, nutrients, and water.

Perennial growth: Persists for several years as perennial plants, posing a persistent challenge in lawns.

Ron’s Tip: A single herbicide pass rarely finishes wild violet off. Because of that waxy leaf coating, plan on a follow-up application two to three weeks after the first — it's the norm here, not a sign something went wrong. 

Control Strategies for Wild Pansies/Violets

Selective post-emergent herbicides: Use selective herbicides for broadleaf weed control alongside good lawn care and manual removal. Apply during active plant growth for optimal effectiveness, targeting wild pansies while sparing grasses.

• Warm-season lawns — Celsius® WG

• Cool-season lawns — Tenacity Herbicide (pre- and post-emergent)

• Non-selective — Mirimichi Organic Weedkiller Spray (note that this weedkiller will also kill your grass, so you have to limit application to the weed).

Purple Cudweed

Purple cudweed (Gnaphalium purpureum), also known as purple everlasting, is a low-growing annual weed found in lawns, gardens, and disturbed areas. Some people find its small purple flowers appealing, but it still competes with grass and other desirable plants for space and resources. 

Why does purple cudweed often go unnoticed until it's already spread? 

Its flowers are genuinely inconspicuous — small, clustered at the stem tips, easy to mistake for a bit of dried-out growth rather than a bloom. By the time it's obvious enough to catch your eye, it's usually already dropped a full season's worth of seed, which is exactly how a few plants turn into a patch. 

Purple Cudweed Characteristics

Appearance: Small, herbaceous plant forming a ground-level rosette with woolly or hairy leaves.

Leaves: Lance-shaped, covered in fine hairs, silvery or grayish appearance. It may have a distinct aromatic scent when crushed.

Flowers: Inconspicuous, purple to pink flowers in clusters at stem ends. Blooms late spring to early summer.

Habitat: Adaptable to various soils, thrives in both sunny and partially shaded areas. Commonly found in lawns, gardens, and disturbed soil.

Competitive nature: Forms dense patches, competing with turfgrass for sunlight, water, and nutrients.

Annual growth: Completes life cycle within one season, but prolific seed production contributes to persistence.

Ron’s Tip: Because it's a true annual, catching purple cudweed before it sets seed is the whole game. A single season of prevention — pre-emergent in place, lawn mowed and fed on schedule — usually breaks the cycle for good, unlike the perennial weeds in this list that keep coming back from the same root system. 

Control Strategies for Purple Cudweed

Selective post- and pre-emergent herbicides: Use selective herbicides for broadleaf weed control alongside good lawn care and manual removal. 

• Warm-season lawns — Celsius® WG / Specticle FLO (pre-emergent)

• Cool-season lawns — Tenacity Herbicide / Prodiamine (pre-emergent)

Purple Vetch

Purple vetch (Vicia benghalensis), also called Bengal vetch, is a flowering plant in the pea family (Fabaceae). It's sometimes grown intentionally as a cover crop for soil improvement, but in lawns and gardens, its aggressive growth habit makes it a weed problem instead.

Why does purple vetch spread differently than the other weeds on this list? 

Unlike the low, mat-forming weeds above, vetch is a climber — it puts out tendrils and sprawling vines that can climb over nearby plants or trail across the ground for several feet. That climbing habit means it doesn't just compete with grass for root space, it can physically smother it by growing over the top.

Purple Vetch Characteristics

Growth form: Vining, leguminous plant with sprawling stems reaching several feet. Can climb or trail along the ground.

Leaves: Compound leaves with lance-shaped leaflets arranged oppositely on the stem, often with tendrils for climbing.

Flowers: Striking purple to violet-colored flowers in clusters featuring a distinctive pea-like appearance.

Habitat: Commonly found in disturbed areas, roadsides, and open fields. Thrives in well-drained soils, capable of fixing nitrogen levels in the soil.

Aggressive growth: Rapid spread through vining and trailing stems, potentially smothering surrounding vegetation, including turfgrass.

Competitive nature: Its ability to climb or trail allows purple vetch to outcompete grasses for sunlight, water, and nutrients.

Ron’s Tip: If you spot vetch trailing into your lawn from a fence line, garden bed, or field edge, treat the source area too — otherwise you're just managing the part that's already crossed over while more keeps coming. 

Control Strategies for Purple Vetch

Mulching: Applying a thick layer of mulch in garden beds can help suppress the growth of purple vetch and prevent its establishment. 

Selective post and pre-emergent herbicides: Selective herbicides designed for broadleaf weed control can manage purple vetch in lawns. 

• Warm-season lawns — Celsius® WG / Specticle FLO (pre-emergent)

• Cool-season lawns — Tenacity Herbicide / Prodiamine (pre-emergent)

 

Related: Which Lawn Weeds Have White Flowers?

 

Purple Nutsedge/Purple Nutgrass

Purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus), commonly called purple nutgrass, is a perennial weed that thrives in moist or poorly drained soil. It belongs to the sedge family (Cyperaceae) — despite its grass-like appearance, it's not a true grass, and that distinction matters a lot when it comes to treatment.

Why won't regular weed killer touch purple nutsedge? 

Because it isn't a broadleaf weed or a grass — it's a sedge, a different plant family entirely with its own biology. Standard broadleaf herbicides are built to disrupt broadleaf-specific growth processes, so they largely pass right over nutsedge. That's why every product recommendation below is a sedge-specific herbicide, not the general broadleaf products used for everything else on this list.

Purple Nutsedge Characteristics

Growth form: Sedge plant with distinctive triangular stems, reaching heights up to a foot. Often found in wet or poorly drained soil. 

Leaves: Long, narrow leaves arranged in sets of three around the stem, forming a characteristic V-shape. 

Flowers: Small, brownish-purple spikelets that emerge from the tips of the stems. Flowering occurs throughout the growing season. 

Habitat: Thrives in moist, poorly drained soil, often found in lawns, gardens, and areas with excessive moisture. 

Aggressive growth: Rapid reproduction through underground tubers (nutlets) that can lead to dense infestations. Can outcompete desirable turfgrass.

Ron’s Tip: If nutsedge keeps coming back in the same spot year after year, look at your drainage before you look at your herbicide. It's chasing wet soil — fix the water problem and you take away the thing that made that spot attractive in the first place. 

Control Strategies for Purple Nutsedge

Cultural practices: Improve drainage in affected areas, as purple nutsedge thrives in moist soil. Proper irrigation management can help reduce its competitiveness. 

Hand removal: Manual removal of plants and nutlets by hand or using a weeding tool. Ensure the removal of the entire plant, including underground tubers. 

Mulching: Apply a thick layer of organic mulch to suppress nutsedge growth. This can be effective in garden beds and landscaped areas. 

Post-emergent herbicides: Selective herbicides designed for nutsedge control can be applied to manage infestations. Follow label instructions carefully for optimal effectiveness. 

• Warm-season lawns — Certainty Herbicide

• Cool-season lawns — SedgeHammer®

• Cool and warm-season lawns — SedgeHammer® 

Preventive measures: Implement good lawn care practices to maintain a healthy turf, reducing the likelihood of nutsedge establishment. Regular mowing and proper fertilization can help create conditions that are less favorable for nutsedge growth.

 

Related: The Best Nutsedge Weed Killers

 

Quick-Glance Guide: Which Herbicide Targets Which Purple Weed?

Already know what you're dealing with and just need the right product? Use this table to go straight from weed to herbicide — organized by product, showing everything each one controls. 

Prodiamine (0-0-7 Pre-Emergent) — All Grass Types

Targets: Purple deadnettle, henbit, thistles, slender speedwell, purple cudweed, purple vetch

 

prodiamine-38-pre-emergent-herbicide-with-fertilizer-0-0-7-50lb

 

Specticle FLO™ — Pre-Emergent, Warm-Season Lawns

Targets: Purple deadnettle, henbit, thistles, purple cudweed, purple vetch

 

specticle-flo-pre-emergent-herbicide

 

Celsius® and Certainty® Kit — Post-Emergent, Warm-Season Lawns

Targets: Purple deadnettle, henbit, ground iIvy (creeping Charlie), slender speedwell, purple cudweed, purple vetch

 

celsius-and-certainty-herbicide-kit-with-surfactant-and-dye

 

Tenacity™ and Sedgehammer® Kit — Post-Emergent, Cool-Season Lawns

Targets: Purple Deadnettle, Henbit, Ground Ivy (Creeping Charlie), Thistles, Selfheal, Purple Cudweed, Purple Vetch

 

tenacity-and-sedgehammer-herbicide-kit-with-surfactant-and-dye-cool-season-grass

 

Triad Select™ Herbicide — Broad-Spectrum Post-Emergent

Targets: Ground ivy (creeping Charlie), creeping bellflower, selfheal, slender speedwell

 

broadleaf-weed-control-triad-select-3-way-herbicide

 

Tenacity™ Herbicide — Standalone

Targets: Thistles, selfheal, purple cudweed, purple vetch

 

tenacity-herbicide

 

Celsius® WG — Warm-Season Only

Targets: Thistles, slender speedwell, wild violets, purple cudweed, purple vetch

celsius-wg-broadleaf-and-grassy-weed-control-for-warm-season-turf

 

SedgeHammer® (Cool- & Warm-Season)

Targets: Purple nutsedge

 

sedgehammer®-herbicide-nutsedge-weed-killer

 

Certainty® Herbicide — Warm-Season Only

Targets: Purple nutsedge

 

certainty-herbicide-1-25-oz-sedge-and-poa-annua-control

 

Mirimichi® Organic Weedkiller — Non-Selective Spot Spray

Targets: Wild Violets. Note: will kill surrounding grass — use only as a spot treatment.

 

organic-weed-control

 

Related: What Types of Weeds Look Like Grass?

 

Importance of Proper Lawn Care For Weed Control

Maintaining a healthy, vibrant lawn is your best defense against all of these weeds — not just the purple-flowered ones.

Why does a thick, healthy lawn matter more than any single herbicide? 

Because weeds are opportunists. Every one on this list — from henbit to nutsedge — takes hold in bare soil, thin turf, or stressed grass where there's less competition for light, water, and nutrients. Herbicide clears out what's already there, but a dense, well-fed lawn is what actually stops the next wave from establishing in the first place.

• Regular mowing at the appropriate height deprives weeds of sunlight, limiting their growth and spread.

• Adequate watering ensures the overall health of desirable grasses, creating an environment less favorable for invasive species.

• Fertilization provides essential nutrients to the grass, promoting robust growth that can outcompete weeds.

• Biostimulants support soil health and stimulate vigorous plant growth, building a competitive ecosystem that naturally resists weed encroachment.

• Reducing thatch buildup and aerating the soil improve water and nutrient absorption, strengthening the lawn's resilience against weeds.

• Proactive measures, like pruning overhanging branches to reduce shade, support a well-balanced lawn that discourages weed development.

• Mulching acts as a protective shield in beds and borders, blocking sunlight and creating conditions unfavorable to weed establishment.

• Pre-emergent herbicides act as a preventive barrier, stopping weed seeds from germinating before they can sprout. Examples include Prodiamine, Dithiopyr, and Specticle FLO™.

Ron’s Tip: If you find yourself treating the same weed in the same spot two years running, that's usually a sign the underlying lawn health issue — thin turf, shade, poor drainage — never actually got fixed. The herbicide did its job; the environment just invited the weed right back.

 

Related: Which Lawn Weeds Have Pink Flowers? 

 

FAQs: Purple-Flowered Weeds

Q: What are the most common purple-flowered weeds in lawns?
A: The most frequent ones are purple deadnettle (Lamium purpureum), henbit (Lamium amplexicaule), ground ivy/Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea), wild violets (Viola sororia), selfheal (Prunella vulgaris), and various thistles like Canada thistle and bull thistle.

Q: How can I tell henbit and purple deadnettle apart?
A: Both are mint-family winter annuals with square stems and purple blooms. Purple deadnettle's upper leaves have short stalks (petioles); henbit's upper leaves clasp directly around the stem with no stalk at all.

Q: Are purple-flowered weeds harmful to my lawn?
A: Yes. While some attract pollinators, most compete aggressively with turf for water, nutrients, sunlight, and root space, and many form dense mats that can smother grass entirely.

Q: Why won't a regular broadleaf herbicide kill purple nutsedge?
A: Because purple nutsedge is a sedge, not a broadleaf weed — it's a different plant family with different biology. Standard broadleaf herbicides pass right over it. You need a sedge-specific product like Certainty® or SedgeHammer® instead.

Q: Can I remove purple-flowered weeds naturally?
A: Often, yes. Small infestations can usually be hand-pulled, especially when the soil is moist. Maintaining healthy turf through proper mowing, watering, and fertility also goes a long way toward reducing weed pressure before it starts.

Q: When is the best time to apply herbicide for these weeds?
A: It depends on the weed. For winter annuals like henbit and deadnettle, apply in fall or early spring before flowering. For perennials like ground ivy or wild violet, fall applications tend to work best, since the plant is storing energy in its roots for winter.

Q: Is ground ivy the same as Creeping Charlie?
A: Yes. Ground ivy is the botanical name (Glechoma hederacea), and Creeping Charlie is its common name — a vigorous perennial that spreads through stolons and thrives in shady, compacted lawns.

Purple Reign? Not in This Lawn.

Purple weeds might look harmless, even kind of pretty, but don't let them fool you. Winning the battle against them isn't just about spot-spraying — it's about dialing in your lawn care from the ground up. Keep mowing at the right height, feed your turf the nutrients it needs, and water deeply but infrequently. When your grass is strong, thick, and thriving, weeds won't stand a chance.

Quick recap: most of what you're dealing with here is a broadleaf weed, and a selective herbicide paired with solid lawn care will handle it. The one to remember as the exception is purple nutsedge — that one needs a sedge-specific product, not your standard broadleaf mix.

To keep your lawn healthy after weed treatment, check out our non-toxic biostimulants and fertilizers that make lawn care a breeze.