As the name suggests, this weed is a native plant to South Africa, which like many other plants from around the world have found new homes as weeds in places where they don’t belong. The weed has highly serrated leaves which lay relatively flat to the ground, and produce recognisable yellow flowers with black centres from which seeds will be created.
Fortunately for the home owner Cape Weed is not generally a lawn weed as such, as it much prefers more sparse soils rather than having to compete with other plants, especially lawns which have their roots throughout the soil and their green leaf and stems covering the surface of the soil.
Therefore we will generally only find Cape Weed in lawns which are in poor condition and which are not routinely maintained. A healthy lawn is the best defence to any invasion of Cape Weed into it, and a poor lawn which is infested with Cape Weed will find natural control to this weed if the lawn is brought back to much better health again so that it can outcompete the weeds.
Most commonly Cape Weed will be found in garden beds, pathways, roadsides, and any other bare patches of soil where it can take a foothold with little competition from other plants.
Botanical name: Arctotheca calendula
Killing And Control Of Cape Weed
For lawns, as already mentioned, bringing the lawn back to health again is the first step to naturally control Cape Weed within it, with not much else needing to be done, though we can use a broadleaf weed spray to kill these weeds and other weeds in our lawns if we so choose.
Regular lawn mowing will control the spread of Cape Weed by the regular removal of its flowers and seed heads, though it won’t necessarily kill the weed itself.
Cape Weed can be pulled by hand from lawns with a small digging tool, as well as from gardens and other areas where it is found. The weed can be slashed with a line trimmer for great results on pathways, curbs and roadsides.
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