100 Common Weeds for Gardens, Lawns and Farms - Common names, Botanical and Gîkûyû language

A weed is any plant growing where it is not wanted. It is a plant that causes economic losses or ecological damages. Most of the weeds are considered a nuisance in farms, gardens and lawns.

There are different types of weeds

• Noxious weed

• Invasive weed

Noxious weed: Any plant designated by the authorities as injurious to public health, agriculture, recreation, wildlife or property.

Invasive weed: These are plants growing in agricultural lands and natural habitats where they are not wanted and where they compete with plants grown or natural resources causing significant economic or environmental damage by altering ecosystems.

“Weeds” are not inherently bad. Many weeds are useful, some are edible and very nutritious (e.g. amaranth, nightshade, mustard, etc.) Other weeds such as blackjack, Mexican marigold and many others have medicinal properties which can be very valuable in a self sufficient farming system, and provide medicine for animals and people. Additionally, many weeds play a crucial role in stabilizing soil and enriching organic matter. Certain species, like various clovers and desmodium, are legumes that can fix nitrogen from the air, enhancing soil fertility. Similarly, weeds like tithonia (wild sunflower) contribute to soil health when their leaves are incorporated as green manure.

Here are the most commons weeds in common names, botanical name and Kikuyu language (Gîkûyû)

	Common name	Botanical name	Gîkûyû name
1	Wondering Jew Small-leaf Spiderwort	Tradescantia fluminansis	Mûkengeria
2	Black Jack Hairy Beggarticks	Bidens pilosa	Mûcege
3	Macdonalds eye Gallant soldier	Galinsoga parviflora	Kamûng’ei
4	Garden Pink-Sorrel	Oxalis latifolia	Ndabibi
5	Maltese star-thistle	Centaurea melitensis
6	Touch me not Sensitive plant	Mimosa pudica	Wanjirû mwîkuithia
7	Spiny Amaranth	Amaranthus spinosus	Terere
8	Black night shade	Solanum nigrum	Managu
9	Holy Basil Musk Basil	Ocimum sanctum Basilicum polystachyon	Makûri
10	Sweet Basil	Ocimum basilicum	Gacûkî
11	Devils horsewhip	Achyranthes aspera	Kamûtegenye Mûhara ngware
12	Mexican marigold	Tagetes minuta	Mûbangi
13	Lions ear	Leonotis nepetifolia	Mûcii
14	Purple Thorn apple Devils trumpet	Datura stramonium	Magûrûkia
15	Wild Sage	Lantana camara	Mûkigî
16	Stinging nettle	Urtica dioica Girardinia bullosa	Thabai Gîthabai
17	Ethiopian Dock	Rumex abyssinicus	Mûgagatio
18	Sodom apple Bitter Tomato	Solanum incanum	Ndongu
19	Bugleweed	Manybracteole Bugle (Ajuga integrifolia)	Wanjirû wa rûriî
20	Bitter lettuce	Lactuca virosa	Mûthûnga
21	Bindii Bristly star bur	Acanthospermum hispidum
22	Aloe vera	Aloe lateritia	Kîîruma
23	Candelabra aloe,  Krantz aloe,  Tree aloe,  Torch aloe,	Aloe arborescens Aloe arborescens	Mûgwa nûgû
24	Indian Madder	Rubia cordifolia	Gakarakû
25	Smooth Creeping Milkweed	Euphorbia inaequilatera	Gakinya-njîgî
26	Common Broomrape	Orobanche minor	Gacûgûma
27	Vlei ink-flower Tissue paper flower	Cycnium tubulosum	Cûcû-mûirû
28	Natal grass	Rhynchelytrum repens (Melinis repens)	Gaita-ime
29	Cucumis	Cucumis ficifolius Cucumis ficifolius	Gakunguî Kagerema
30	Bush-cherry	Maerua triphyllas	Gathandîka
31	Marsh Para Cress	Acmella uliginosa Acmella calirhiza (Spilanthes mauritiana)	Gatharaita
32		Polygala sphenoptera Polygala poaya	Gathekia
33	Billygoat weed	Ageratum conyzoides	Gathenge
34		Fuerstia africana	Gathîrîga
35	Skunk Vine	Paederia foetida	Gathuria
36		Zehneria minutiflora	Gathûnjû
37	Common Purslane	Portulaca oleracea	Gatumia
38	Yam	Dioscorea minutiflora	Gîkwa
39	flame lily - Squirrel’s yam	Gloriosa superba	Gîkwa-kîa-nduru
40	Devil's yam Leg-Ripper	Smilax anceps	Gîkwa-kîa-ngoma
41	Lady's mantle	Alchemilla argyrophylla	Gîtamûhera
42	Forget me not	Cyathula polycephala	Gîtegenya Maramata
43	Sea holly	Acanthus ebracteatus	Gîtemani
44	Wild melon	Lagenaria sphaerica	Gîthûnjû
45	Calabash Climbing Gourd	Lagenaria siceraria	Rûngû
46	Wild lettuce	Launaea cornuta	Gîthûnga
47	Candelabra tree Angola Tree-Euphorbia	Euphorbia candelabrum	Gîthûri
48	River lily Pyjama lily	Crinum macowanii	Gîtoka
49	White ribbon bush	Hypoestes verticillaris	Gîtuhia
50	Broadleaf Wild Leek Elephant Garlic Wild Leek	Allium ampeloprasum (leek, scallion)	Gîtûngûrû kîa ngoma
51	Nut grass	Cyperus rotundus	Kîgonda
52	Couch grass Quack grass	Elymus repens	Thangari
53	African Stargrass	Hypoxis hemerocallidea	Ngûirûbi
54	Kikuyu grass	Cenchrus clandestinus	Kîgombe
55	Woolly Plectranthus	Coleus barbatus	Maigoya
56	Fox tail grass Love grass	Genus Alopecurus
57	Flea bane Hoseweed	Erigeron canadensis	Mûrûnga anake Mûrera ngamba
58	Indian mallow	Abutilon indicum
59	Fat hen weed	Chenopodium album
60	Khaki weed Creeping chaffweed	Alternanthera pungens
61	Tropical Milkweed	Asclepias curassavica
62	Double thorn	Oxygonum sinuatum	Cong’e
63	Tasselflowers Cupid's Shaving Brush	Emilia discifolia Emilia sonchifolia
64	Wild tobacco Bugweed	Solanum mauritianum	Mbakî ya Gîthaka
65	Asian Coromandel Chinese violet	Asystasia gangetica
66	Ant bush Coffee senna	Senna occidentalis
67	Sow thistle	Sonchus oleraceus	Mûthûnga
68	Fern Polypody family	Family Polypodiaceae
69		Asystasia mysorensis	Mûhika na ihu
70	Oriental radish Aubergine Wild radish Brown mustard	Raphanus sativus niger Solanum melongena Raphanus raphanistrum Brassica juncea	Thawani
71	Striga weed Purple witch weed	Striga hermonthica
72	Wild oat weed	Avena fatua
73	Cheeseweed Mallow	Malva parviflora
74	Goldenberry Cape Gooseberry Chinese lantern	Physalis peruviana Physalis peruviana	Nathi
75	Air plant Mother of millions	Kalanchoe pinnata Kalanchoe pinnata	Mûkondori Mahûithia
76	Abisinthe wormwood	Artemisia absinthium
77	Velvetleaf	Abutilon theophrasti
78	Common plantain
79	Redflower ragleaf	Crassocephalum crepidioides
80
81	Pink knotweed	Persicaria capitata
82	Artillery plant
83	Horseweed
84	Prostrate sandmat	Euphorbia prostrata
85	Bull thistle	Cirsium vulgare
86	Mexican fireplant	Euphorbia heterophylla
87	Three-lobed false mallow	Malvastrum coromandelianum
88	Water hyacinth	Eichhornia crassipes
89	Blue porterweed
90	Common sowthistle
91	Santa Maria feverfew Congress grass	Parthenium hysterophorus
92	Mushrooms, Bracket Fungi, Puffballs,  Allies	Class Agaricomycetes	Makunû