What is wrong with such a disdain for identifying the enemy as a preliminary step to doing battle? Plenty, as you probably already realize if you're consulting the following lists of the worst and best (that is, beneficial) weeds. The most basic objection is that it helps to know something about what it is that you are fighting. Proper weed identification can be the gateway to knowledge that has been compiled over the years regarding a particular plant.
Yes, as superficial as a mere name may seem, without it, you are barring yourself from all kinds of helpful tips and warnings. The purpose of this guide is not only to help you identify common lawn and garden weeds through photos but also to introduce you to some of those helpful control tips.
Poison ivy: Poison ivy can cause more than just an annoying itch. Did you know that you can develop serious health problems from attempting to eradicate poison ivy by burning the vines? And as commonly as one hears people speaking of poison ivy, proper weed identification for this plant is not as common as one might think. Many people needlessly spray the vine,Virginia creeper, thinking it is poison ivy. Worse yet, many others fail to identify the poison ivy that they encounter when enjoying outdoor activities--walking blindly into it and paying the price afterward.
Crabgrass: Crabgrass will not harm your health, but it is an eyesore. The common lawn and garden weed, crabgrass, has a very name that suggests how tenacious a foe it is (think of a crab lodged in a crevice and stubbornly refusing to come out). You can tackle crabgrass before you spot it, or after it's already starting to take hold in your garden.
Common ragweed: Even the plant world has its scapegoats. The goldenrod weed is commonly blamed for causing "hay fever." But goldenrod is merely a victim of circumstance: It just happens to bloom at the same time of year as the ragweeds. It is ragweed that is truly responsible for the discomfort allergy sufferers feel every fall. Yet relatively few people can identify this inconspicuous plant. In many cases, those allergic to common ragweed pass it every day in the autumn, without giving it a second thought. Inconspicuous or not, it causes suffering for untold millions every fall.