It grows in an upright position, seldom reaching heights greater than 12 inches. Typical of plants in the mint family, the upper stems are square. The ˝ to 1 inch leaves are opposite, dark green and hairy above and lighter below. The lower leaves have petioles but the upper leaves are borne directly on the stem. The leaves are triangular to circular and have veins radiating out from a central point. The leaf edges have rounded teeth and are crinkled.
Pink to lavender to purple flowers are borne in whorls at the top of the plant in April and May. Usually, in Nebraska, the plants go to seed and die by mid June.
Chemical Control
Henbit is most effectively controlled in the fall. In the lawn, the same pre-emergent chemicals used for crabgrass control will do a good job of controlling henbit. As when applying products for pre-emergent treatment around the first of September followed by a second application of pre-emergent herbicide a month later or follow up with a post-emergent
application at the end of October. There are no pre-emergent chemicals registered for use in pastures.
Post-emergent control can be achieved with products containing 2,4-D mixed with dicamba, and/or MCPP in late October followed by a second application, if necessary, in March.
If Henbit was a problem in crop fields, the seed supply will be there to start the cycle again this fall. In crop fields, apply 2,4-D (1 quart), Basis + 2,4-D (0.5 oz + 1 pint), Gyphosate (2 quart), Gyphosate + 2,4-D (1.5 pint + 1 pint) or Gamozone Max (1.3 pint) in late fall after harvest.
You can achieve fair control in the spring with 2,4-D (1 pint) or 2,4-D + Dicamba (1 pint + 0.5 pint). Better control is achieved in the spring with atrazine in combination with 2,4-D or Dicamba but the field cannot be planted to atrazine-sensitive crops. See UNL Extension publication (EC 130) “2006 Guide for Weed Management,” page 41.
Source: Tom Dorn, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
