Compact yellow flowers of pineapple weed, Matricaria matricarioides

Pineapple weed

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Sunday, 3 March 2019 at 3:00 pm

Deal with pineapple weed, with help from our expert guide.

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Pineapple weed, Matricaria matricarioides, relishes the challenge of rooting into a well-trodden path or other seemingly unhospitable soils. When walked on the plant's leaves release a pleasant pineapple-like scent, but a single plant will flower and produce thousands of plants in its short lifetime, quickly spreading through the garden.

Symptoms

Pineapple weed will spread and root in any open ground - even in compacted earth and paths - competing with plants for nutrients and space.

Find it on

all over the garden, but particularly in lawns

Organic

Hand weed or hoe out seedlings as they appear, or smother them with a good layer of compost or mulch. Try to remove plants before they flower and seed to slow its spread.

Chemical

Use a total weedkiller. Avoid spraying on a windy day and near other desirable plants.

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