Key identifying traits
- Plant stems grow
prostrate 1-2’ in length and have short upright stalks
- Leaves are in 3’s and
are oval-shaped
- Leaves are alternate,
finely toothed and have prominent veins
- Flowers are small and
yellow
- Fruits are kidney-shaped
pods that turn black
- Seed pods are hairy and
contain 1 seed
Biology and ecology
- An annual or short lived
perennial plant reproducing by seeds
- Black medic is native to
eastern Europe & Asia
- It is a nuisance in
lawns & gardens and is also found in waste areas & along
roadsides
- It is not usually a
problem in pastures – animals tend to keep it grazed
- It is found in
throughout the United States
Control
Prevention –
Learn to identify plants; start monitoring early in the season
Biological –
No known biological control in our area
Cultural –
Plant competitive grass or other cover crops
Mechanical –
It can be hand pulled but does not grow upright enough to be
effectively mowed
Chemical –the
PNW Weed Management handbook does not have it listed as a
problem weed but other sources list mixtures with either triclopyr,
dicamba or clopyralid are listed to work on black medic
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