Doveweed in Warm-Season Lawns: Complete Guide

Doveweed (Murdannia nudiflora) is a creeping summer annual weed that has become increasingly problematic in Florida lawns over the past two decades. It forms dense mats of fleshy, grass-like foliage that can quickly overwhelm thin or stressed turf. At first glance, Doveweed can be mistaken for grass, but closer examination reveals its distinctive characteristics.

Doveweed has thick, succulent stems that root at the nodes as they spread along the ground. The leaves are lance-shaped, 2-3 inches long, and notably fleshy compared to grass blades. The leaf bases wrap around the stem in a distinctive overlapping pattern. The plant produces small (1/4 inch), three-petaled purple to blue flowers in summer, usually from July through September.

Like Dollarweed, Doveweed thrives in moist, over-watered conditions. It's particularly invasive in St. Augustine lawns in Florida and has become resistant to many commonly used herbicides. The fleshy, waxy nature of its leaves makes herbicide penetration difficult, often requiring multiple treatments with specific products.

Doveweed is a summer annual that germinates from seed in late spring when soil temperatures warm, grows aggressively through summer, and dies with the first frost or cool temperatures in fall. However, plants produce abundant seeds that persist in the soil, causing the problem to recur each year unless the seed bank is depleted through consistent pre-emergent treatments.