Key identifying traits
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Leaves
are round and lobed with a notched base
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Flowers can range in color from
white to a pale lavender
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Fruits are a rounded button
shape and it is often called buttonweed
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It usually spreads low on the
ground and can range from 2-20” per branch
Biology and
ecology
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This plant can be an annual,
winter annual or biennial
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It is common in waste areas,
gardens, along driveways and in pastures
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Common mallow was introduced
from Europe but has been in the U.S. for a long time
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Usually not considered
aggressive but is hard to control due to the deep tap root
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 crop
Mechanical –
The plant is hard to pull, dig or till due to the deep tap root,
mowing not effective due to its low height
Chemical – Common mallow is hard
to kill- but the
PNW Weed Management handbook has listed sulfentrazone and
oxyfluorfen and others as being good control for mallow. Weed Board
staff has been successful using the 3-way mix of dicamba,
metsulfuron and 2,4-D
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