What Are These Purple Flowers In My Yard?

Winter is finally going away—and then you notice little purple flowers sprouting up on your Tulsa lawn. What are those purple flowers, and why do you have them? This is our topic today. We’ll tell you about these little purple weeds, how they spread, and what is needed to eliminate them. As always, we’re here if you want to speak with someone directly about your lawn or weed control needs. Nutri-Green Lawn Care is your source for expert lawn care in Tulsa.

Purple winter weeds

Two widespread winter annual weeds have purple flowers: henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) and purple deadnettle (Lamium purpureum). Both of these weeds belong to the mint family—and yes, you can eat them; they are herbs. But, while these minty plants are great on salads or in a gourmet recipe, they aren’t so great when they take root in your yard.

The life cycle of henbit and purple deadnettle

These plants germinate in the fall and may sprout a little during the winter if we have warm days, but most of their growth is in early spring. When summer temperatures arrive, these weeds die off. But don’t get too excited. They don’t go anywhere. They produce incredibly resilient seeds that can survive in the soil for 25 to 40 years. That is why lawns that have these weeds continue to have trouble with them over and over again.

Why do you have purple weed flowers?

In the spring (not this spring, but the last one), your purple weeds were producing seeds. If they were not yet on your property, they were nearby. Henbit and purple deadnettle can make a startling number of seeds, as many as 2,000 per plant! The seeds were lifted into the air and spread into your yard—if you didn’t already have them. When they landed on your lawn, they were initially dormant. Through the summer, they remained dormant. When fall arrived and temperatures dropped, they germinated. During the winter, you may have seen the plants popping up. Then, in spring, the flowers bloomed. This is likely the progression. However, it is possible that you already had the seeds in your yard, and climate conditions brought them to life.

Why are henbit and purple deadnettle so troublesome?

The first reason is that they can ruin the look of your lawn. As for what makes them such a problem, it has to do with their surprisingly resilient qualities:

• They take root in areas where the soil is an inch and a half deep on the surface.
• They can grow in soil that is less than ideal and more sandy.
• They grow well in partial shade (2 to 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) and also in deep shade (less than 2 hours of direct sunlight).

When you combine their ability to survive with the longevity of their seeds, it is a recipe for frustration.

How do I deal with these purple flowers on my Tulsa lawn?

A strong, thick, and weed-resistant lawn is the most effective deterrent for these two types of weeds. If you have healthy, dense turf, henbit and purple deadnettle will have difficulty sprouting. A healthy, thick turf requires an integrated approach, which includes overseeding, turfgrass selection, pre-emergent weed control, fertilization, and more. The reality is that applying an integrated lawn care plan takes knowledge, experience, and hard work. We wish we could say there was a simple solution, but that is just not the case—well, not unless you have help. You could let our team of trained lawn care experts tackle your lawn. 

How professional and personal lawn care come together

When you have a lawn care plan, we handle all of the complicated tasks, such as checking the pH balance of your soil, identifying your turf, selecting seeds, identifying weed types, applying pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control, selecting fertilizers, and applying what is needed in each season of the year. What is your role? You must mow regularly and give your lawn the water it needs. That’s it. The rest of the time, you can enjoy your lawn.

Contact Nutri-Green for help eliminating henbit and other weeds! 

If henbit or other weeds are trying to take over your lawn, they’ve got to go! If you’d like to get on top of a purple weed problem in Tulsa, Bixby, or elsewhere in Eastern Oklahoma, contact Nutri-Green for service. We’re happy to help.

This blog was originally published on March 3, 2020, and has been updated to reflect the most up-to-date information.