What is this horrible weed!? (yard, leaves, roots, cover)

[Triplewillow]

I don't have a pic but I think I can describe it very well because I have become so familiar with it.

It starts out as a lovely maroon/red with a feathery top that is just beautiful. That all changes though. Then the feathers turn to furled leaves that eventually spread out like poke. They also turn green.

The stem of the weed retains it maroon color with green streaking in it.

The roots go to China. Once you get that far you will find that root ball has sent out tendrils to another to form another root ball - again, located in China. Digging up the root ball does not end the plant. More tendrils from a root ball that might have been connected to it sends up even more plants.

I have tried roundup, vinegar, salt and hot water. I can't get rid of this stuff. It's playing all kinds of heck with my garden. It's a constant fight all around the fence.

H-e-l-p-p-p!

[si33]

Your description sounds like it could be a couple different plants. if you could get a picture or two of it, that would narrow down the possibilities and also help know what might work to stop it..Sounds like something out of a horror movie..

[Gerania]

I don't know the name, but it sounds like the evil stuff that mostly covered the side yard at the house that we bought. The rest of the area was smothered with Vinca - it was even coming up through that. It took three years of pulling, digging and finally spraying all of the sprouts to get rid of it.

[cap1717]

A picture would be helpful, as well as your general location. . . one possibility is a type of spurge. There are many kinds, and spurge is easy to kill. . . the problem is that before it is even big enough to see, it has already flowered and gone to seed, so that new seedlings are constantly emerging.

Without a good clear picture, it is impossible to make positive identification.