Weed Curly dock or curled dock
Scientific Name Rumex crispus
Family Buckwheat family (Polygonaceae)
Life Cycle Cool season perennial
Reproduction Method Reproduces by seed and occasionally root pieces
Appearance Curled dock develops a dense rosette of 6 to 12 inch-long leaves that emerge from a large, fleshy, somewhat branched yellow-orange (see image below) taproot on a short crown. At flowering, the inflorescence develops at the top of a stem that can reach 4 1/2 feet tall.
Leaves The dark green leaves are simple with a heart-shaped base. The leaf edges are wavy or curly. Leaves on the stem are alternate and have short petioles. There is a papery sheath that surrounds the stem at the nodes.
Flowers The flowers appear in branched clusters at the end of upright stems that are 6 to 24 inches long. Initially yellow-green, the small flowers with slender stems occur June to September and dry to develop rust-brown, three-seeded fruit.
Occurrence Curled dock is commonly found in poor soils and waste areas where turf receives inadequate maintenance.
Non Chemical Control Maintain a dense healthy turf and pull when plants first emerge. After developing the large taproot, hand-pulling is rarely effective.
Chemical Control
Application Period Apply postemergence herbicides during periods of active growth from mid spring through early summer and again in autumn.
Active Ingredient in Labeled Products

Preemergent

Postemergent

  • isoxaben
  • 2,4-D
  • 2,4-DP
  • chlorsulfuron*
  • clopyralid
  • dicamba
  • MCPA
  • MCPP
  • triclopyr
*not on tall fescue or ryegrass turf
Notes

(Click on Image to Enlarge and Sharpen Photograph)

Curled dock vegetative

Curled dock in turf

Curled dock in turf from above

Curled dock yellow taproot

Curled dock dense rosette

Curled dock plant in bloom

Confused?? Look-a-Likes