Pigweed is an annual that has escaped from farm fields to become a lawn problem. It starts to flower very shortly after germination and deposits thousands of seeds during a single season. Pigweed does not survive in good dense turf and becomes most evident during the stress of hot, dry weather. Leaves are spear-shaped, dull green and covered with dense coarse hair. Red or light green stripes run along the length of the tall main stem. Seeds are in bushy spikes at the top of the plant and in the axils of the leaves. Although pigweed is primarily an upright grower, it will lie near the ground with constant mowing.