TURF PEST CONTROL 3B KANSAS STUDY
GUIDE 2026 VERIFIED Q&A MASTER
SOLUTION PACK
◉ Fescue, tall
Answer: A coarse, cool-season perennial bunch grass. Scattered
clumps are objectionable in fine-textured turfgrasses. Leaf veins are
fibrous. When mowed, fibers show on the cut edge, especially if
mowers are not well sharpened. Mature leaf blades may be 1⁄2 inch
wide, ribbed on top, and shiny smooth below. The lower portions of
the stems are reddish purple, particularly in the spring and fall.
A similar grass, meadow fescue, (Festuca elatior) is also a frequent
weed in bluegrass lawns.
◉ Foxtail (Setaria spp)
Answer: Foxtails are warm-season annuals. Yellow foxtail (Setaria
glauca) has flattened stems, often reddish, on the lower portion.
Stems of green foxtail (Setaria viridis) are round. The seed of yellow
foxtail is four times as large as green foxtail. Giant foxtail (Setaria
faberili) may be found in some lawns.
◉ Garlic, wild (allium vineale)
Answer: The slender, smooth leaves are hollow and attached to the
lower portion of the waxy stems. Both bulbs and bulblets are
,produced underground. Green to purple flowers are often replaced
with bulblets. There is a characteristic onion-garlic odor.
◉ Goosegrass (Eleusine indica)
Answer: A decidedly warm-season annual most often found growing
where cool-season grass stands are thin. Germinates later than
crabgrass. The stems tend to be flattened and white near the base.
Flower heads are thicker and more robust than on common
crabgrass. The extensive fibrous root system makes it difficult to
pull.
◉ Henbit (lamium amplxicaule)
Answer: A winter annual that starts growing in September.
Characteristics include squarish stems on upright plants, lavender to
blue flowers, and opposite leaves. A few plants may bloom in the fall,
but most blossom in early spring
◉ Knotweed, prostrate (polygonum aviculare)
Answer: An annual that germinates in early spring and thrives into
late fall. It grows flat from a long white taproot. Individual plants
may spread two feet or more. Stems are wiry and leafy with a thin,
papery sheath at each leaf node. Leaves often have a bluish cast.
Seeds are three-cornered, light-brown early, and shiny black when
mature.
,◉ Mallow, purple poppy (callirhoa, involucrata)
Answer: Perennial that spreads by seed and underground root.
Reddish-purple flowers are borne in clusters and have five petals.
Leaves alternate. They are 2 to 3 inches long, lobed, with large oval
stipules at the base. Lawns started with pasture sod or soil may be
infested
◉ Nimblewill (muhlenbergia schreberi)
Answer: A warm-season perennial grass with wiry fine stems that
root at the nodes. Root system is shallow and fibrous. It forms
circular patches or may be distributed throughout lawn.
Objectionable in cool-season lawns because of delayed spring
growth and early dormancy in the fall.
◉ Nutsedge, yellow (cyperus esculentus)
Answer: Triangular stems of this warm-season perennial produce
three-ranked leaves from near the ground. Leaves are light yellow-
green. Lower portion of the plant is fibrous and brown. Roots often
terminate with small nutlets about the size of a popcorn kernel. Seed
heads resemble burs. Plants grow rapidly in spring and early
summer. Several sedge species are common in this region, but this
one is most prevalent in lawns.
◉ Plantain, blackseed and broadleaf
Answer: Cool-season perennials that form rosettes with prominently
veined leaves. The leaves of blackseed (Plantago rugelii) are oval and
, 2 to 3 inches across with purplish stalks. Broadleaf plantain
(Plantago major) has smaller leaves without purplish coloration.
Both species have rattail seed heads several inches long
◉ Plantain, buckhorn (plantago lanceolata)
Answer: Slender, narrow leaves of this perennial are about 1 inch
across with three to five prominent veins. The seed head is a short
cylindrical spike.
◉ Poison Ivy (Rhus radicans)
Answer: This woody perennial reproduces by seed and root and is
found mostly in woods and shady places. Leaves are divided into
three oval leaflets. Seeds are borne in white berries. All plant parts
contain a toxic substance that may be irritating to people. This plant
is usually not a problem in turf, except in natural areas.
◉ Puncturevine (tribulus terrestris)
Answer: A prostrate, freely branching warm-season annual that is
slightly hairy. Some stems may be 4 or 5 feet long. It has a taproot,
bright-green leaflets, and yellow flowers. Seeds are angled, with two
stout spines that resemble a Texas longhorn.
◉ Purslane, common (portulaca oleracea)
Answer: This warm-season annual has fleshy or succulent leaves
and stems, reddish in color. It grows prostrate, and the root system
GUIDE 2026 VERIFIED Q&A MASTER
SOLUTION PACK
◉ Fescue, tall
Answer: A coarse, cool-season perennial bunch grass. Scattered
clumps are objectionable in fine-textured turfgrasses. Leaf veins are
fibrous. When mowed, fibers show on the cut edge, especially if
mowers are not well sharpened. Mature leaf blades may be 1⁄2 inch
wide, ribbed on top, and shiny smooth below. The lower portions of
the stems are reddish purple, particularly in the spring and fall.
A similar grass, meadow fescue, (Festuca elatior) is also a frequent
weed in bluegrass lawns.
◉ Foxtail (Setaria spp)
Answer: Foxtails are warm-season annuals. Yellow foxtail (Setaria
glauca) has flattened stems, often reddish, on the lower portion.
Stems of green foxtail (Setaria viridis) are round. The seed of yellow
foxtail is four times as large as green foxtail. Giant foxtail (Setaria
faberili) may be found in some lawns.
◉ Garlic, wild (allium vineale)
Answer: The slender, smooth leaves are hollow and attached to the
lower portion of the waxy stems. Both bulbs and bulblets are
,produced underground. Green to purple flowers are often replaced
with bulblets. There is a characteristic onion-garlic odor.
◉ Goosegrass (Eleusine indica)
Answer: A decidedly warm-season annual most often found growing
where cool-season grass stands are thin. Germinates later than
crabgrass. The stems tend to be flattened and white near the base.
Flower heads are thicker and more robust than on common
crabgrass. The extensive fibrous root system makes it difficult to
pull.
◉ Henbit (lamium amplxicaule)
Answer: A winter annual that starts growing in September.
Characteristics include squarish stems on upright plants, lavender to
blue flowers, and opposite leaves. A few plants may bloom in the fall,
but most blossom in early spring
◉ Knotweed, prostrate (polygonum aviculare)
Answer: An annual that germinates in early spring and thrives into
late fall. It grows flat from a long white taproot. Individual plants
may spread two feet or more. Stems are wiry and leafy with a thin,
papery sheath at each leaf node. Leaves often have a bluish cast.
Seeds are three-cornered, light-brown early, and shiny black when
mature.
,◉ Mallow, purple poppy (callirhoa, involucrata)
Answer: Perennial that spreads by seed and underground root.
Reddish-purple flowers are borne in clusters and have five petals.
Leaves alternate. They are 2 to 3 inches long, lobed, with large oval
stipules at the base. Lawns started with pasture sod or soil may be
infested
◉ Nimblewill (muhlenbergia schreberi)
Answer: A warm-season perennial grass with wiry fine stems that
root at the nodes. Root system is shallow and fibrous. It forms
circular patches or may be distributed throughout lawn.
Objectionable in cool-season lawns because of delayed spring
growth and early dormancy in the fall.
◉ Nutsedge, yellow (cyperus esculentus)
Answer: Triangular stems of this warm-season perennial produce
three-ranked leaves from near the ground. Leaves are light yellow-
green. Lower portion of the plant is fibrous and brown. Roots often
terminate with small nutlets about the size of a popcorn kernel. Seed
heads resemble burs. Plants grow rapidly in spring and early
summer. Several sedge species are common in this region, but this
one is most prevalent in lawns.
◉ Plantain, blackseed and broadleaf
Answer: Cool-season perennials that form rosettes with prominently
veined leaves. The leaves of blackseed (Plantago rugelii) are oval and
, 2 to 3 inches across with purplish stalks. Broadleaf plantain
(Plantago major) has smaller leaves without purplish coloration.
Both species have rattail seed heads several inches long
◉ Plantain, buckhorn (plantago lanceolata)
Answer: Slender, narrow leaves of this perennial are about 1 inch
across with three to five prominent veins. The seed head is a short
cylindrical spike.
◉ Poison Ivy (Rhus radicans)
Answer: This woody perennial reproduces by seed and root and is
found mostly in woods and shady places. Leaves are divided into
three oval leaflets. Seeds are borne in white berries. All plant parts
contain a toxic substance that may be irritating to people. This plant
is usually not a problem in turf, except in natural areas.
◉ Puncturevine (tribulus terrestris)
Answer: A prostrate, freely branching warm-season annual that is
slightly hairy. Some stems may be 4 or 5 feet long. It has a taproot,
bright-green leaflets, and yellow flowers. Seeds are angled, with two
stout spines that resemble a Texas longhorn.
◉ Purslane, common (portulaca oleracea)
Answer: This warm-season annual has fleshy or succulent leaves
and stems, reddish in color. It grows prostrate, and the root system
