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Class A Noxious Weed

Velvetleaf
Abutilon theophrasti
 

Other common names: Indian mallow, butterprint, buttonweed
 Plant family: Solanaceae
Year listed: 2000
Native to: China and India

Why is it a noxious weed?

Velvetleaf is the reason for hundreds of millions of dollars spent on control in the United States in the 1980s because of the economic impact to crop production losses in cultivated lands. Velvetleaf causes the most concern in row crops, mainly soy bean, corn and cotton. Velvetleaf outcompetes the strongest cultivated plants for water and soil nutrients. Velvetleaf outcompetes the strongest cultivated plants for water and soil nutrients.

How would I identify it?
General Description: The entire velvetleaf plant is velvety and soft and is completely covered with short, fine hairs, plant can reach 3 to 8 feet in height.

Leaves:

  • alternate
  • heart shaped
  • usually 2-5 inches wide pointed at the tip
  • a slender petiole supports each leaf

Flowers:

  • yellow to yellow-orange in color and is about ¾ inch wide
  • 5 sepals, 5 petals
  • many stamens which fuse to form a tube
  • solitary or in small clusters, and they are found on short stalks in the upper leaf axils

Stems: Velvetleaf grows from a main stem that is stout, with upper branches.

Line drawings are taken from 1,000 Weeds of North America, copyright of XID Service, Inc and used with permission. Permission granted by the author.

How does it reproduce?
Velvetleaf reproduces by seed, each plant produces 700-17,000 seeds. Seeds remain viable for 50 - 60 years and remains viable after passing through animal digestive tracks.

Where does it grow?
Velvetleaf is a common weed of waste areas, roadsides, vacant lots, fence rows and around farmsteads where it is found in barnyards, cultivated fields and gardens.

What is the distribution in Washington State?
 

 

  • Distribution map not available at this time.

How do I control it?

General control methods: Prevention of a seed bank is essential for controlling velvetleaf.

Cultural: Crop rotation aids crop production and prevents yearly favorable conditions for velvetleaf. Nutrient loading is not recommended, as velvetleaf demonstrated an opportunistic response, using later applied nutrients to extend the flowering period and higher seed production.

Herbicide: The rates for various chemical control options are found in the annually updated Pacific Northwest Weed Control Handbook, or contact your county weed coordinator.

Mechanical: Small populations, and young plants are easy to control by hand pulling, before flower production. Close mowing is effective if mowed prior to seed production.

Biological: There are several organisms that have been studied for use as biocontrol agents. The scentless plant bug (Niesthrea louisianica) showed a 98% seed reduction, tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens) and bollworm (H. zea) feed on the terminal shoots, young leaves and immature fruits. In addition Fusarium lateritium and Colletotrichum coccodes are mycoherbicides studied for velvetleaf suppression. Several root nematdes (Heterodera marioni, Medoidogyne ssp.) parasitized velvetleaf under greenhouse.

For more information
For more information, download our Written Findings.

 

More Photos-Click photo to enlarge
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Velvetleaf seed head Velvetleaf infestation close up
Close up of Velvetleaf seed head. Velvet leaf infestation close up.

 Last updated September 10, 2008