Origin:
Naturalized from Europe, and now a common problem weed throughout the world.
Biology:
A summer annual weed with thick, fleshy stems that grow prostrate and mat-forming along the ground. Multiple stems branch out from the base in a circle, and individual plants may grow over 6 feet in diameter in landscape or thin turf areas. Plants are able easily to tolerate dry conditions, but also do well in landscape.
Identification:
Mature plants are many-branched, with reddish, juicy stems. They form dense mats, with the tips of the stems turning upward, and in other foliage stems may grow upright. Leaves are small, oval to oblong, and fleshy, growing either opposite or alternate on the stems. They are smooth and shiny and have smooth edges. A thick taproot is present, with a wide-spreading fibrous root system off of it. Small yellow flowers occur singly in the axils of the leaves or in small clusters at the ends of the stems
Characteristicts Important to Control:
A highly aggressive weed that reproduces from seeds, and tolerates dry conditions and high temperatures. It is a major pest of turf and landscape. Physical removal is easy when seedlings are small, but the high production of seeds leads to heavy populations of seedlings.
