Henbit

Henbit is a winter annual weed which means it actually sprouts in the fall, goes dormant over the winter and then blooms first thing in the spring. Once we have warm weather it dies until the fall when the seeds sprout again. This plant is a low growing member of the mint family with square stems, rounded to heart shaped leaves with lobed edges and pink to purple flowers produced at the top of the plant. Control of henbit is best done in the fall before it emerges or right after it comes up. Once the plant has come up in the spring and started to bloom its too late to spray. In the fall a pre-emergent can be applied in September (as long as you aren’t seeding cool season grasses in the area) or you can spray the weeds in October with 2,4-D, Round-up, Trimec or similar products. Be sure to read the label for the application rate and time of application. For now, just enjoy the beautiful blooms that are beneficial for pollinators and keep your lawn as healthy as possible to help keep it weed free. Henbit can be invasive if not controlled however it is also beneficial to pollinators so feel free to let it grow if you wish.

Have questions? Contact our office where our Horticulture Extension Agent will assist you with questions.

Phone: (316) 321-9660

Email: callae@ksu.edu