Shepherd's purse is a winter annual with heart-shaped seed pods that appears in thin and dormant lawns.
- Scientific name
- Capsella bursa-pastoris
- Type
- Winter annual broadleaf
- Most visible
- February–April
How to Identify Shepherd's Purse
- Basal rosette of lobed leaves
- Upright flower stalks with small white flowers
- Triangular, heart-shaped seed pods
- Grows quickly in late winter
When It Shows Up in Oklahoma Lawns
Germinates in fall and flowers in early spring.
How to Control Shepherd's Purse
- Apply a fall pre-emergent
- Spot-treat with a selective herbicide labeled for the weed and safe for your grass type, following the label exactly
- Keep turf thick with proper mowing height, watering, and feeding so seedlings can't establish