Doves-foot cranesbill is an annual weed that is common on bare areas, waste ground, hedgerows and occasionally in turf. It is sometimes called doves-foot geranium.
Leaves
The leaves form from a basal rosette and are round – kidney shaped, each has 5 -7 leaflets which are deeply cut, often with each leaflet having 3 lobes. They are very soft with a hairy surface.
Flowers
The bright pink flowers have 5 petals, each petal being notched, sometimes giving the appearance of 10 petals. They can be seen from May to September
Habitat
Doves-foot cranesbill is happiest on dry, undernourished soils, especially where the soil is exposed.
Cultural control
- Hand weed individual plants taking care to remove the whole weed.
- Encourage a healthy lawn with good lawn care practices to prevent weed from invading in the first place.
Chemical control
Doves-foot cranes bill is a difficult weed to control using chemicals. In almost all cases more than one application will be needed for effective control.
