Plz Help ID This Plant/Weed w/ 2 Pics

14 years ago

We recently bought our first home in Maryland. The yard came with ALL KINDS of weeds. So far I've identified crabgrass, Burmuda grass, dandelion, wild strawberry, plantain, oxalis, white clover (which we're going to keep,) some kind of knotweed and many, many more. This particular kind here is the most prevalent. It occupies most of the front yard, had taken over the side yard and are growing in patches in our backyard on the slope. It has light to dark green TINY three leaflets, very low-spreading, about 2'. Flowers look like alfalfa's but they don't form a round head or long clusters. The flowers come in singles and are dark pink and white. I spent all day online trying to look up what it is with no results. Can't be something that's only in our yard and in large quantities... The pictures were taken by phone hope they're good enough. Thank you for your help.

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Comments (3)

hortster
14 years ago
I was ambivalent about seeing this thread - happy to see that someone else is chasing this particular critter, yet sad to know that you have it! I have this plant all over my K-31 fescue yard. It just showed up three or four years ago, probably brought by starlings en masse. I noticed today while mowing that it has gone to its (tiny) pea-like bloom. I have gotten the genus down to Desmodium, but haven't been able to get the species 100% nailed. Too bad that there are hundreds of Desmodiums. The closest that I have gotten is D. triflorum but I am not sure that this is the same. Hope this gets you started...should you get a positive ID I will be watching!
Thanks, hortster

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clew
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you very much for your response horster. Unfortunately what I have is not the same thing you're looing for. What I have produce pink to purple and white flowers, (2 colors on one flower,) and have oval leaflets not leaves. My picture were pretty bad I have to admit. But anyway, spent another evening of research, since I'm not short of samples (LOL,) I believe I found it. It is lespedeza ( aka Japanese clover.) What do you guys think? I'm a complete novice in lawn care and gardening. Once I identified it it seems to be a very common known plant. I just wonder why it's not in most "common weed lists" on the internet.

Also these links:
http://www.missouriplants.com/Pinkalt/Lespedeza_striata_page.html
http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/turfid/csPagedPdField.aspx?PlantID=LESST

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maifleur01
14 years ago
I agree that it is a lespedeza but not striata. Striata's stems are different from your picture. Striata sends up one stringy stiff stem compared to the small stems.

Check the annual lespedeza's and see what you think.