Henbit is a winter annual broadleaf weed. Preferring cool, moist areas and commonly grows in fields, pastures, gardens, nursery plots, turf areas, waste areas, and along the edges of yards and buildings. Although Henbit prefers cooler areas, it can be found throughout most of North America.
Identifying Henbit
Henbit is a sparsely hairy winter annual with greenish to purplish, tender, square stems. Its opposite leaves are broadly egg shaped with bluntly toothed margins and prominent veins on the underside. Upper leaves are sessile (directly attached to the stem) and lower leaves have petioles. It has a fibrous root system and can grow to a height of 16 inches. Henbit’s distinctive flowers are reddish purple in color with darker coloring in spots on lower petals. It flowers in the spring with the flowers arranged in whorls in the upper leaves.
Blooming from February through November, Henbit produces whorls of 6 to 12 tube-shaped flowers. Purple to pink in color, the upper lip of each flower is shaped like a hood while the lower lip hangs downward.
Henbit Control
Henbit is highly competitive in lawns with thin turf – especially in shady areas. Cultural weed control practices are not enough to remove the this pest once it is established in a lawn or landscaping area. Our weed control products will eliminate this weed, though it may take a couple applications to completely eliminate it.Weed of the week: Henbit
Henbit is a winter annual broadleaf weed. Preferring cool, moist areas and commonly grows in fields, pastures, gardens, nursery plots, turf areas, waste areas, and along the edges of yards and buildings. Although Henbit prefers cooler areas, it can be found throughout most of North America.
Identifying Henbit
Henbit is a sparsely hairy winter annual with greenish to purplish, tender, square stems. Its opposite leaves are broadly egg shaped with bluntly toothed margins and prominent veins on the underside. Upper leaves are sessile (directly attached to the stem) and lower leaves have petioles. It has a fibrous root system and can grow to a height of 16 inches. Henbit’s distinctive flowers are reddish purple in color with darker coloring in spots on lower petals. It flowers in the spring with the flowers arranged in whorls in the upper leaves.
Blooming from February through November, Henbit produces whorls of 6 to 12 tube-shaped flowers. Purple to pink in color, the upper lip of each flower is shaped like a hood while the lower lip hangs downward.
Henbit Control
Henbit is highly competitive in lawns with thin turf – especially in shady areas. Cultural weed control practices are not enough to remove the this pest once it is established in a lawn or landscaping area. Our weed control products will eliminate this weed, though it may take a couple applications to completely eliminate it.