Purple Flowers in Your Tulsa Lawn?
If you're seeing purple flowers in your lawn in late winter or early spring, it's almost certainly henbit or purple deadnettle — winter annual weeds that germinate in fall and bloom in spring. Later in the season, it could be wild violets or creeping Charlie. These weeds are extremely common in Oklahoma, but proper identification leads to proper treatment.
Henbit: The Most Common Purple Flowering Lawn Weed in Tulsa
Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) is the purple-flowered weed you're most likely seeing if it's late winter or early spring.
Identification
Square stems (mint family). Heart-shaped leaves that clasp directly to the stem without a stalk. Small tubular purple-pink flowers clustered at the top. Grows 4–12 inches tall with a distinctive layered appearance.
Life Cycle
Winter annual. Seeds germinate in fall (September–November), grow slowly through winter, then explode with growth and flowering from late February through April. Plants die after setting seed in late spring.
Control
Fall pre-emergent applied in September prevents germination. Post-emergent broadleaf herbicides work on young plants in fall or winter but become less effective once plants are large and flowering in spring.
Purple Deadnettle: Henbit's Close Cousin
Purple deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) is often confused with henbit and may be growing alongside it in your lawn.
Identification
Also has square stems and purple flowers. Key difference: leaves are triangular (not heart-shaped), have stalks (not clasping), and the upper leaves have a distinctive purplish-red tint. More compact growth habit than henbit.
Life Cycle
Same as henbit — a winter annual that germinates in fall, flowers in late winter/early spring, and dies after setting seed. Often found growing right alongside henbit in the same lawn.
Control
Same as henbit. Fall pre-emergent prevents it. Post-emergent broadleaf herbicides control young plants. By the time you see purple flowers in spring, prevention of next year's crop is the priority.
Wild Violets: The Perennial Problem
If you're seeing purple flowers later in spring (April–May) or the plants come back year after year in the same spots, you may have wild violets.
Identification
Heart-shaped leaves on long stalks. Distinctive five-petaled purple flowers on their own stalks. Low-growing, spreading plants that form clumps. Leaves have a waxy texture that resists herbicide absorption.
Why They're Hard to Control
The waxy leaf coating makes herbicide absorption difficult. The rhizome system means killing top growth doesn't kill the plant. They thrive in shade and moist conditions where grass struggles. Pre-emergent won't work on established plants.
Control
Requires persistent treatment, often multiple applications over multiple seasons. Triclopyr-based herbicides work better than standard 2,4-D products. Fall applications when plants move energy to roots can be more effective.
Creeping Charlie (Ground Ivy): Another Purple Possibility
Creeping Charlie, or ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea), has small purple flowers and spreads aggressively through lawns.
Identification
Round or kidney-shaped leaves with scalloped edges on long stalks. Square stems (mint family). Small funnel-shaped purple flowers in spring. Strongly aromatic when crushed (minty smell). Spreads by above-ground stolons that root at nodes.
Life Cycle
Perennial that spreads aggressively. Very shade tolerant. Thrives in moist areas where grass struggles, making it a persistent problem in shaded or low-lying parts of your lawn.
Control
Difficult to control because of aggressive spreading. Triclopyr-based herbicides are most effective. Multiple applications are usually required. Improving drainage and reducing shade helps grass compete.
Quick Identification Guide
Henbit
Blooms: Feb–April
Heart-shaped leaves clasp stem directly
Winter Annual
Purple Deadnettle
Blooms: Feb–April
Triangular leaves, purplish-red tops
Winter Annual
Wild Violet
Blooms: April–May
5-petal flowers, waxy heart-shaped leaves
Perennial
Creeping Charlie
Blooms: April–June
Scalloped round leaves, minty smell
Perennial
How to Prevent Purple Weeds Next Year
For Winter Annuals (Henbit & Deadnettle)
A fall pre-emergent application in September prevents germination. This is the most effective control. Once you see purple flowers in spring, it's too late for that season — you're preventing next year's problem.
For All Purple Weeds
Build thicker turf. These weeds exploit thin areas, shade, and bare spots. Proper fertilization, overseeding thin areas, and addressing soil compaction all help grass outcompete weeds.
For Perennials (Violets & Creeping Charlie)
Persistent post-emergent treatment over multiple seasons. Fall applications are often more effective. Accept that complete elimination may not be realistic — focus on management and reducing spread.
Proper Identification Leads to Proper Treatment
For more than 25 years, Complete Lawn Care has been a trusted lawn care provider in the Tulsa area. We believe great results don't come from guessing — they come from experience, science, and continual improvement.
We've implemented one of the few agronomy-supported programs in Tulsa, working directly with an industry expert who helps guide our application timing, product selection, and ongoing improvements based on proven agronomic science. Our technicians are trained to identify what's actually in your lawn and recommend the right approach. We don't just spray and hope — we identify the problem and apply what actually works.
Experience tells us what to do. Science tells us when and why. Your lawn deserves the best.
Need Help Identifying or Controlling Lawn Weeds?
At Complete Lawn Care, we can identify what's growing in your Tulsa lawn and develop a plan to manage it. Our 7-step program includes properly timed pre-emergent applications to prevent winter annuals like henbit, plus ongoing weed management throughout the season.
Phone
(918) 605-4646
wecare@completelawncaretulsa.com
Service Area
Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Owasso, Jenks, Bixby, Sand Springs, Collinsville & surrounding Oklahoma communities since 2000.
