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Broadleaf weed spotting

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Discover a range of weeds found in a typical New Zealand garden.

Learning Intentions:

    Students will be able to:
  • use observation skills to locate weeds that are on the spotter guide
  • confirm their identification using more than one characteristic feature, and name the weed.

Spot typical weeds found in a garden

  1. Use the spotter guide below to identify broadleaf weeds in a garden. To do this, search in a garden that has not been weeded for a while. Another option is to search a wasteland area. 
  2. Record which ones you find by ticking the boxes and recording your observations by writing about them, drawing, or taking photos. 


Broadleaf weeds spotter pdf download (optimised for colour printing on A4).

Hints and tips

  • Print the sheet on heavy weight paper and laminate.
  • Students can tick the boxes with felt pen when they find a weed. Use water or meths to remove the ticks so the sheets can be reused.
  • Students can share what they have found by showing others, by taking photos, or by collecting the weed, e.g. for later pressing and drying.

What is a weed?

A weed is a plant that is in the wrong place. At least two of the 'weeds' on the spotter sheet are sometimes grown by farmers. In these cases they are considered to be 'plants'. Can you name which ones they are? Why are they sometimes considered weeds?