Posted on October 26, 2023 by Lawn Doctor
Pennywort, or dollar weed, is a perennial broadleaf plant that grows on land or on water. You may see it on your lawn or floating on water. Keep reading to learn how to identify pennywort, how to get rid of it, and prevent it from growing on your lawn.
When still young, dollar weed’s seed leaves are egg-shaped and about 0.5 inches long. As they mature, the lawn and floating pennywort or dollar weed have properly structured leaves and are hairless. The floating ones have fleshy leaves, while the lawn leaves are kidney-shaped. Pennywort usually blooms in the Spring through summer, around March to August. But in conducive conditions or in moist environments, these plants can bloom year-round.
The leaves of pennywort or dollar weed are fleshy, round and bright green. These weeds may look like lily pads when they’re floating. Their flowers look like umbrellas, and the flower head usually has three or 10 flowers with no stalks.
Dichondra is often mistaken as a dollar weed because its leaves also grow parallel to the soil. One way to identify dollar weed from a dichondra is by looking at the leaf stem. The stem of the pennywort is at the center of the leaf, while the latter’s stem is at the edge.
Pennywort are aquatic plants, which means they thrive in moist environments. An effective way to control them is by addressing poor drainage and monitoring your lawn’s moisture levels. Make sure your lawn only gets about one inch of water per week, preventing it from becoming soggy. Regularly maintain your lawn by keeping it well-fertilized, preventing dollar weed from growing.
Improving the grass can also help prevent dollar weed from growing. You need to maintain proper mowing height (not too short) so that grass can grow thick, and ensure you treat any insect infestations or soil problems.
One thing to know about this water-loving plant is that it can be difficult to get rid of them once they’re settled on your lawn. Fortunately, you can remove them naturally or by using chemicals.
If there are only a few of them, it would be appropriate to pull them by hand. However, make sure to completely remove the root. Otherwise, they will only return. Using vinegar can also be effective at getting rid of pennywort. Its acetic acid can destroy pennywort leaves, preventing them from producing any food. Pouring boiling water can also kill pennywort, but do this only when there are no other plants nearby.
Mulching can also suffocate dollar weed. Consider laying some cardboard or newspaper over the weed and placing tree bark mulch over it. You may also use a chemical herbicide to kill pennywort. Spray the weed killer when the plants are still young, making them easier to eradicate. When using a herbicide though, we recommend reading the label and carefully following the instructions. Some lawn grasses are sensitive to herbicides to ensure that you have the right weed killer to prevent damage to other plants.
Pennywort or dollar weed can thrive on wet grass or moist environments. The key step to prevention is to monitor the moisture levels of the soil to ensure it’s not always wet.
You can prevent pennywort from growing on your lawns by improving soil drainage. Reduce irrigation so that the soil doesn’t become soggy. Dollar weed can thrive and grow in moist environments, and it might be difficult to eradicate them once they’re established on your yard or lawn. Get rid of them as soon as you can.
We also don’t recommend hand-pulling the dollar weeds if there are several as you might not be able to completely remove all the roots. As much as possible, use weed killers or vinegar to get rid of this plant. Do you need help with lawn care to ensure no pennywort can thrive on your lawn? Contact us today.
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