Q: I have Florida betony in my perennial beds and it is slowly taking over my entire garden. Nothing seems to control it.

A: Florida betony is also called “rattlesnake weed” because its roots look like the end of a rattlesnake’s tail. This mint family member is extremely difficult to control in landscape beds. One solution is to remove every desirable plant from your beds and spray the betony that remains with glyphosate (Roundup, etc).

Since the plant is so persistent, do not replant the bed for at least a year. The only other alternative is to relentlessly spray each betony plant in your bed whenever you see it, protecting your good plants with a piece of cardboard. Control will take at least three years but you won’t have to empty your beds.

Controlling Florida Betony in the Landscape

NC State University

Florida betony