Here are some of the most common weeds that are found in Australian lawns – keeping in mind there is actually no such thing as a ‘weed’! A weed by definition is just a plant growing where it is unwanted. Some plants deemed as weeds actually have medicinal or nutritional properties.
| Weed | Scientific Name | Description / Identification | Treatment (Control) |
| Bindii / Jo-Jo | Soliva sessilis | Small, flat weed with fine fern-like leaves. Produces painful prickly seed heads in summer. | Treat in winter before seeds set with Amgrow Bin-Die or Bow & Arrow (broadleaf selective). Prevent re-germination with pre-emergent (Oxafert). |
| Clover (White Clover) | Trifolium repens | Low-growing, 3-leaf clovers with white flower heads. Spreads in thin or poor-nitrogen lawns. | Spot spray with Bin-Die or Bow & Arrow. Improve lawn health with nitrogen fertiliser (clover thrives in nitrogen-poor soils). |
| Capeweed | Arctotheca calendula | Large rosette leaves, soft and hairy underneath, yellow daisy-like flowers. | Control with broadleaf herbicide (Bow & Arrow, MCPA blends). Remove by hand when young. |
| Dandelion | Taraxacum officinale | Recognisable yellow flower heads that turn into fluffy seed balls. Deep taproot. | Dig out entire taproot or use broadleaf herbicide. Spot spray to prevent spread. |
| Cudweed | Gnaphalium spp. | Upright, silver-grey leaves with clusters of white flowers. Can be tough to hand pull. | Use Bow & Arrow or McKenna broadleaf sprays. |
| Creeping Oxalis | Oxalis corniculata | Small clover-like leaves, spreads via runners, produces small yellow flowers. Often mistaken for clover. | Control with Oxafert (pre-emergent), or selective herbicides like Bow & Arrow. Multiple applications may be needed. |
| Chickweed | Stellaria media | Spreading annual weed with soft, green leaves and small white flowers. Thrives in cool, moist lawns. | Treat with Bin-Die or Bow & Arrow. Easily hand pulled if small infestation. |
| Plantain (Broadleaf Plantain) | Plantago major | Flat rosette with broad, rounded leaves. Produces upright flower stems. | Spot spray with broadleaf herbicide or dig out manually. |
| Winter Grass | Poa annua | Pale green, fine-leaved grass with seed heads. Thrives in cooler months. | Apply pre-emergent (Oxafert, Barricade) in autumn. Use Winter Grass Killer (MCPA-free) if already germinated. |
| Nutgrass | Cyperus rotundus | Grass-like sedge with shiny leaves in groups of three. Forms underground nutlets. | Use specialist herbicides like Sempra (halosulfuron-methyl). Hard to remove manually. |
| Paspalum | Paspalum dilatatum | Coarse, tufted grass with sticky seed heads. Difficult to eradicate once mature. | Spot spray with glyphosate gel (careful not to hit lawn) or dig out crown. Prevent reseeding. |
| Onion Weed | Asphodelus fistulosus | Fine, strappy leaves with onion smell. White star-like flowers. Tough underground bulbs. | Spot spray with glyphosate gel (Roundup Gel) or carefully dig bulbs. Repeat required. |
| Creeping Charlie / Ground Ivy | Glechoma hederacea | Low, creeping weed with rounded scalloped leaves. Can take over shaded lawns. | Use Bow & Arrow or bin-die. Improve sunlight and lawn density to prevent reinvasion. |
| Sorrel (Red Sorrel / Sheep Sorrel) | Rumex acetosella | Upright weed with arrow-shaped leaves, reddish stems. Acidic soils. | Apply broadleaf herbicide. Correct soil acidity with lime to reduce re-growth. |
| Cats Ear (False Dandelion) | Hypochaeris radicata | Similar to dandelion but with branched stems and hairy leaves. Yellow flowers. | Control with broadleaf herbicide (Bow & Arrow, Bin-Die). Hand pull if isolated. |
✅ Notes for Homeowners:
- Any weed control through spraying means you should don the correct PPE as directed on the product label. Make sure you read all manufacturer directions prior to use.
- Buffalo lawns need herbicide-safe options (not all products suit them). Always check the label before spraying.
- Pre-emergent herbicides like Oxafert are great prevention against bindii, oxalis, winter grass, and clover.
- A healthy, well-fed lawn is the best natural defence — weeds love bare patches and nutrient-poor turf.