BTW, I live in central Georgia. I have tried pulling it up, but it seems that many seed pods fall off in the process and it just grows back the next year. I have a very dense centipede lawn and this weed has no problem taking over. I used Scott's Weed and Feed in April and August. By August, I throw a little extra on these patches only to leave a bare spot. I'm afraid it's going to take over my entire lawn if not stopped.

That looks like a match! With that, I can begin to figure out how to control it. Thanks for the help! It's been killing me to figure it out.

Diodia virginiana a native wildflower, looks as easy to mow as grass. Those Scott's people are laughing all the way to the bank.

CFish, you might want to check with your local Extension office about the appropriate herbicide for this stubborn weed. It's a deep rooted perennial, and your weed and feed products are NOT what you should be using to control it.

Explain to them that it's in your lawn. They will want to know what kind of grass you have, too. Herbicides are probably the chemical group that is most often misused by homeowners....because they simply do not understand how important it is to select the right stuff for the job at hand.

Purpleinopp, you cannot mow Virginia buttonweed as it stays below even the lowest mower setting. It is extremely aggressive and ruins the look of a lawn as it usually is not deep green with pretty flowers as that picture depicts because it often is infected with a virus that makes the leaves a mottled yellow color. Just because something is native does not mean we should desire it in our lawn.

It is very hard to eradicate. You basically have to nuke it repeatedly with nasty stuff. See link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Buttonweed Control

Hope it helps.

Here is a link that might be useful: More info

If it stays that low, it sounds superior to grass. There's some of that in our front yard, along with several different grasses, some garlic, and at least 15 other kinds of tiny flowers, mostly natives. All soft, greenish things that mow down to whatever height to which the mower is set. Occasionally I find a plant in the yard I don't want, so I remove it. We have a dog, kid, and grow some edibles, and have pecan trees. No way I'm putting 'cide in our yard in an attempt to exclude all plants except certain kinds of grass. The dog lives in the yard (and occasionally chews on grass, like most dogs do,) we play out there, we walk around in our bare feet in some places, and often put grass clippings on the veggie bed. Having a monoculture of grass in the mowed areas would not improve our life in any way, and would prevent us from being able to grow at least some untainted food. One shouldn't be made to feel inferior or inadequate if they don't want to nuke "weeds" by putting "nasty stuff" on their property. We should respect each others' personal decision, and remember to look at the big picture.

God & Lawn Care:

GOD: (To Saint Francis)
Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles.

St. FRANCIS:
It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

GOD:
Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.

GOD:
The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimes twice a week.

GOD:
They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?

ST. FRANCIS:
Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

GOD:
They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

ST. FRANCIS:
No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

GOD:
Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

ST. FRANCIS:
Yes, Sir.

GOD:
These Suburbanites must be...

Did anything in my post go against your statement,"One shouldn't be made to feel inferior or inadequate if they don't want to nuke "weeds" by putting "nasty stuff" on their property. We should respect each others' personal decision, and remember to look at the big picture."?

The OP asked for a way to get rid of Virginia buttonweed, not to be told that it is actually fine and he or she should just live with it because it is native (with a sarcastic Scott's statement thrown in for good measure). Telling him or her to keep it sounds more like you were the one who was not respecting the OP's personal decision to eradicate this weed. Certainly, you are free to do your own thing but injecting your own judgment when the OP is asking for advice on eliminating the weed does not add any substantive value to the thread.

Also, it appears you have mischaracterized me as an advocate of a grass-only lawn; this is not the case. Several sections of my townhouse lawn are mazus, not fescue. I have seen Virginia buttonweed in my friends' lawns and it is not attractive; most notably because it is often a hideous yellow color from a fungus that tends to infect it. It just isn't a good choice for a lawn because of this and the fact that it is rampantly aggressive.

Desiring a monocultured lawn is a preference you should respect but clearly do not. You can use herbicides on your lawn to improve its look without harming your family or pets if you do so responsibly. This means you follow all package directions, keep your family and pets off the lawn while the insecticide is doing its job, and wait until its effects wear off (all chemicals have a half-life and a period after which they are no longer active) before using it again.

*Pardon my typos above: fungus should read virus and insecticide should read herbicide.

Friend, well said. I always appreciate a well-expressed opinion even if I disagree. More power to you and best wishes for a great weekend!

You are certainly free to disagree and I welcome it! The world would be a boring place if we all agreed on everything. I respect your opinion and I see the merits of your approach. Thank you for listening to and respecting mine.