Common Birds-foot Trefoil

A common perennial weed of some turf surfaces. Its scientific name is Lotus corniculatus. It is a creeping plant, similar to white clover, with 3 oval leaves, and with 2 smaller leaflets on the same leaf-stalk. It has yellow flowers, often tinged with red or orange and the main flowering period is May to September. Its soil preferences are as follows: Soil pH: Mostly calcareous soils to slightly acidic, but not mildly to strongly acidic soils. Soil Texture: A preference for sandy soils. Soil Moisture: Dry conditions preferred. Other features include: 1. It does not like shade. 2. Typical g

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  Common Chickweed

A straggly spreading annual weed of disturbed soil and newly seeded areas, especially where sterilised soil has not been used. It is easily controlled by regular mowing. Leaf size is quite variable, from 6mm to 25mm, whilst it has small white flowers, with 5 petals (each partly split into two) which can appear in any month of the year. Its soil preferences are as follows: Soil pH: Grows over a range of soil pH levels. Soil Texture: A preference for loamy soils. Soil Moisture: Moist conditions preferred. Other features include: 1. Shade preference is none to light. Its scientific name is Stellaria media.

  Common Field Speedwell

A spreading annual weed of some turf surfaces, especially lower maintained areas with thin swards, as well as on disturbed soils. Its leaves are 10mm - 30mm in length, having serrated edges, lighter green in colour and lightly hairy all over. Leaves are attached to the stem on a short petiole. It can flower all year round, having small, up to 12mm diameter, bright blue flowers; the lower petal is almost white. Its soil preferences are as follows: Soil pH: Grows over a range of soil pH levels. Soil Texture: A preference for loamy soils. Soil Moisture: Moist conditions preferred. Other featur

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  Common Mouse-Ear

A common perennial weed, with creeping runners, of some less intensively maintained turf surfaces. Its scientific name is Cerastium fontanum (previously being called Cerastium holosteoides). It has hairy leaves and stalks; with small broad-oval shaped leaves. The main flowering period is April to October; having small white flowers, variable in diameter with 6-9mm being a median range, with 5-petals, each deeply split. It is also called Common Mouse-Ear Chickweed.

  Common Sorrel

A tufted perennial uncommon weed of less frequently maintained turf surfaces. Its scientific is Rumex acetosa. It is a small plant, with arrow shaped, shiny leaves, being 40mm to 150mm in length and 20mm to 50mm wide, with 'ears' that point backwards at the base of the leaf. The main flowering period is May to June, with the flowers being very small, red in colour and located on a narrow stalk.

  Common Storksbill

An uncommon annual weed, with short spreading stems, of lesser maintained turf surfaces. Its scientific name is Erodium cicutarium. It prefers dry, sandy and acidic soils. The main flowering period is June to September, having dark pink to light purple coloured flowers.

  Common Vetch

An annual weed of lesser maintained turf surfaces, especially with a thin more open sward, and which grows over a turf surface, effectively scrambling over the grass. Its scientific name is Vicia sativa. Its leaves are lightly hairy, typically with 3 to 6 pairs of leaflets. The main flowering period is May to September, having bright pink to purple coloured flowers. It prefers a more neutral soil pH, which may also include a clay loam soil which is moist to wet over the autumn-winter to early spring period but can dry out thereafter. It prefers light-shade, if any, to sunny conditions, but not full shade conditions.

  Creeping Buttercup

A very common weed of turf surfaces. Its scientific name is Ranunculus repens. It is a Perennial and spreads by creeping stolons. The leaves are lightly hairy, with three lobes per 'leaf' - the middle one is on a stalk, the other two are directly attached to the stem. The main flowering period is May to August or September. The flowers are yellow, with 5 petals, with a typical diameter in the region of 25mm, with the flowering stalk being grooved.

  Creeping Cinquefoil

An uncommon perennial weed of lesser maintained or neglected turf surfaces. The leaves have 5 leaflets, It spreads by stolons and roots at the nodes where it touches the ground. It flowers from June to September, having yellow coloured flowers, with 5 petals, with a typical diameter being 20-25mm, on a long flowering stalk. Its scientific name is Potentilla reptans.

  Creeping Thistle

A common perennial weed of lesser maintained amenity turf surfaces. Its scientific name is Cirsium arvense. Its leaves are wavy, not hairy, often twisting in appearance and have prominent spikes present on the leaf tip, with weakly developed spikes on the margins; it spreads aggressively by rhizomes. It flowers from June to September, with the flower heads typically having a diameter of about 12mm, and being a light purple in colour. The flower heads are in clusters on a spineless stalk.