Revision: May 25, 2005
Original Date Published: 1991

To use the table below:
a) Compare first true leaf shape with shape in left-hand column.
b) When similar shape is located click on the weeds listed in the second column and compare true leaves in photos with weed specimen for identification.

NOTE: Weed species are arranged according to first true leaf shape. Leaf shape may change as weed matures.

If you know the name of the weed, you may use the alphabetical index.

FIRST TRUE LEAF	WEED	DESCRIPTION
	Corn Spurry Horsetail, Field	Leaves are needleshaped and first leaves are usually whorled.
	Cudweed, Low	Leaves are linear and first leaves in tight rosettes. Later leaves can vary.
	Bladder Campion Hawkweed, Mouse-eared Lady's Thumb Milkweed, Common Ox-eye Daisy Purslane Toadflax, Yellow Wormseed Mustard	Leaves tapering at each end. Entire, toothed, or wavy-edged margins. Leaves have rounded or pointed tips.
	Bull Thistle Canada Thistle Shepherd's Purse	Leaves are deeply wavy. Fairly regular indentations giving a lobed appearance. Oblong shaped leaf.
	Burdock, Common Chickweed, Common Chickweed, Mouse-eared Fleabane, Canada Plantain, Broad-leaved Redroot Pigweed Stitchwort, Grass-leaved	Leaves egg shaped to oval. Entire toothed or slightly wavy margins. Leaves have rounded ends or tapering to a point
	Field Violet Groundsel, Common Hempnettle	Leaves egg shaped to oval. Margins are regularly notched like a saw or rounded teeth.
	Coltsfoot Dandelion Goldenrod Lambsquarters Perennial Sow Thistle	Leaves egg shaped, oval to triangular. Margins are irregularly and coarsely toothed or wavy.
	Yellow Rocket	Leaves circular or disc shaped, sometimes kidney shaped. Generally broader than long, rounded teeth or distantly toothed or wavy margins.
	Sheep Sorrel Wild Buckwheat	Leaves arrow-head shaped or heart-shaped with basal lobes. Margins entire or distinctly toothed or wavy.
	Cleavers/Smooth Bedstraw	Leaves in a whorl. Several identical leaves arranged in a whorl around each node on the stem.
	Wild Radish Tansy Ragwort	Leaves divided. Margins with irregular lobes. Enlarged terminal lobe with smaller lateral lobes.
	Pineappleweed Ragweed, Common Scentless Chamomile,   Stinking Mayweed Wild Carrot Yarrow	Has leaflets arranged along each side of a common stalk. Outline oblong, oval or roughly triangular. Leaflets may be further divided. Narrowly linear to disc-shaped, entire or lobed margins.
	Buttercup, Tall/Creeping	Leaves having lobes, divisions etc. spreading from a single point. Leaf outlines generally disc-shaped.
	Black Medick	Leaves split into 3 leaves or divisions (like clover).
	Vetch, Tufted	Has regular leaflets arranged along each side of a common stalk. Leaves oval or tapering to each end and are separate and of equal size.
	Barnyard Grass Crabgrass, Small Foxtail, Green/Yellow Quackgrass Wild Oats Witchgrass