Purple-flowering weeds are more common than you would expect.
The bright-colored flowers are quite attractive, but they can steal water, nutrients, and even sunlight from other plants.
If you have a garden, you are aware that weeds can become a major issue. They are hard to eliminate and can quickly take over your plants.
Still, some gardeners are hesitant to remove them because they also attract pollinators like bumblebees and honeybees.
1. Wild Violet
Wild violets produce beautiful and fragrant small flowers, delicate stems, and shiny green leaves. These rhizomatous weeds are among the most aggressive types. They are also capable of self-pollinating.
Weeds find it more difficult to infiltrate a lush, healthy lawn, so make sure yours is well-maintained.
While some people enjoy the sight of wild violets in their yard, others prefer not to have them. If you like the beauty of wild violets and their flowers but don’t want to cultivate them, grow their non-invasive relatives, violas, and pansies.
2. Creeping Charlie
Creeping charlie (glechoma hederacea) is an herbaceous perennial that reproduces through seeds and stolons that spread along the ground. The plant has a distinct minty odor when crushed.
Creeping Charlie’s bright green, round or kidney-shaped leaves have scalloped edges. In the spring, little funnel-shaped flowers emerge from the foliage.
While some people consider it a weed that will overtake neglected or otherwise poorly kept areas, others believe it has naturalized, and some seed companies sell it as an ornamental ground cover.
3. Henbit
Henbit has purple, pink, or white flowers that bloom in a cylindrical structure. It grows best in full sun and loamy soil in damp areas. This explains why it commonly grows near ponds or other water features.
Henbit gets its name from the seeds that fall on the ground and are eaten by hens. Its leaves, flowers, and stems are all edible and have medicinal properties.
To get rid of this tenacious weed, you can apply a chemical treatment or you can pull the plant by hand when it is still young enough for successful removal.
4. Purple Dead Nettle
The purple dead nettle is a hardy plant that blooms in the spring. This vigorous, fast-growing perennial produces purple, pink, or white flowers and can form a thick ground cover.
While these plant species die as annuals, their seeds remain safely buried and will germinate the following spring. It grows well in moist soil with moderate to full sunlight. The leaves and stems are used for medicinal purposes.
Like other members of the mint family, it is a plant that spreads aggressively. This tough plant can tolerate insects, pests, and disease and thrives in harsh conditions.
5. Forget-Me-Nots
Many gardeners use Forget-Me-Nots as border plants, but they can spread quickly. They flourish in moist, well-drained soil that receives both shade and sunlight.
The oval, bluish-purple petals and golden centers are distinct features of this weed. While they are lovely in the garden, if not properly maintained, they can be highly invasive and crowd out other plants.
To keep Forget-Me-Nots from taking over your garden, simply pull them by hand. If you like how they look but want to prevent aggressive spreading, you can cultivate them in a shaded spot.
6. Black Nightshade
Black nightshade can be found in gardens, landscaping, and even flowerpots. This weed is an annual plant that can grow two feet tall. It features delicate dark green foliage and small white or purple flowers.
Although it looks similar to nightshade (solanum lycopersicum), an edible plant, black nightshade is toxic. If ingested, it might cause stomach discomfort, vomiting, and diarrhea.
The simplest way to get rid of black nightshade is to pull it by the roots. When handling this plant, wear gloves because the sap can cause skin irritation.
If it has already begun to seed, you can remove the entire plant and discard it. Otherwise, it might quickly take over your yard.
