Dollarweed (Hydrocotyle spp.) is a warm-season perennial weed. It gets its name from the silver-dollar shaped leaves. The leaves are round, bright green, and look like miniature lily pads. They have a low-growing habitat that spreads by seeds, tubers, and rhizomes. Another name for dollarweed is pennywort.
Dollarweed’s stem is located in the center of the leaf. Dollarweed can be easily distinguished from dichondra because its stem is located at the edge of the leaf.
Dollarweed loves water and it can also float. The presence of this weed indicated there is excessive moisture in the area. Monitoring moisture levels and evaluating irrigation frequency are the first steps to controlling dollarweed. After reducing moisture levels and modifying lawn care techniques (proper mowing height and irrigation) a chemical control may be necessary. Herbicides are chosen according to the turf species and applied in late spring (after full spring green-up of the lawn) when weeds are small. Herbicide effectiveness is reduced as weeds mature.
When dollarweed has been eliminated in the turfgrass, bare spots will be left behind. Fill the bare spots with plugs or springs of the desired turfgrass. Fertilize the lawn based on soil report recommendations. Atrazine can be applied twice a year (fall and late spring) to St. Augustinegrass and centipedegrass. A three-way herbicide can be used on bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, and tall fescue. See the product label for usage rates for each type of turfgrass. Imazaquin (like Image Nutsedge Killer) can be applied to bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, centipedegrass, and zoysiagrass, but not to tall fescue. Atrazine and Imazaquin can travel through soil and enter the groundwater, so read the label for all environmental precautions.
In the landscape beds, dollarweed can be hand pulled or controlled with an herbicide. A 3% glyphosate solution can be used for spot treatments around ornamental plants. A cardboard shield may be used to prevent glyphosate spray from drifting to nearby ornamentals. Imazaquin can also be used in landscape beds. Be sure not to apply around the root zones of plants that are not on the product label. It is best applied when weeds are still small in the spring. A second application can be applied six weeks later if necessary.
For more information on dollarweed and recommended herbicide products, please visit the Home and Garden Information Center website at hgic.clemson.edu. Tune in on Tuesday nights to watch “Making it Grow” at 7pm on SCETV or mig.org. Email Outen at callenb@clemson.edu.
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