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ALABAMA OTPS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS| UPDATED 2026
Goosegrass - correct answer -Summer annual grass; silver
crabgrass; thrives in compacted soil area;; germination may be 4
to 6 weeks later than crabgrass; lower sterns strongly flattened
and crown in silver-white; at maturity, 4 or 5 flattened finger-like
seed heads produced at end of sterns
Large Crabgrass - correct answer -Summer annual; germination-
late March to early April; fibrous root system and roots at lower
nodes; lower sterns flattened, pale green, with hairy sheaths that
form unsightly patches
Chickweed - correct answer -Winter annual broadleaf weed which
roots at nodes; creeping habit of numerous branched stems forms
dense patches; leaves are opposite, oval shaped, and bright
shiny green; white flowers are 5 pedaled (deeply notched);
appearing as 10 petals
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Carolina geranium - correct answer -Winter annual broadleaf
weed; simple leaves are deeply divided or segmented; stems
erect and much branched; basal cluster of leaves with reddish-
green hairy stems; bears cluster of white to pale purple flowers at
end of stems
Spur weed - correct answer -Winter annual broadleaf weed;
frequently referred to as sand spur; prostate growth with finely
dissected leaves; leaves and stems covered with fine hairs; fruits
with spines produced from inconspicuous green flowers; weed is
not evident for most of growing period (spreads rapidly); plants
grow in tufts and produce small 5 pedaled yellow flowers
Hop Clover - correct answer -Winter annual broadleaf weed; mat-
forming legume with trifoliate leaves; numerous small white and
yellow flowers produced in spring
Black Medic - correct answer -Winter annual broadleaf weed; dark
blue-green;prostrate; spreading weed with square stems; league
with 3 wedge shaped leaflets with spur or tooth at tip; at maturity,
bright yellow flowers are compressed into cluster; each flower
develops into a tightly coiled black seedpod
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Cudweed - correct answer -Biennial broadleaf weed; basal rosette
of leaves with grayish-white appearance; leaves are long, narrow,
and blunt tipped; during second year, branched flowering stems
produced with small narrow leaves; flowers are tan to white in
color and appear at the base of the upper leaves
False Dandelion - correct answer -Biennial broadleaf weed; basal
rosette of round lobed, dissected leaves; during second year,
branched leafy stem produced with several yellow flowers; mature
seed head strongly resembles dandelion
Yellow Nutsedge - correct answer -Perennial sedge; slender,
triangular, pale green stems up to 24 inch. Tall; most leaves basal
except for yellow seed head; leaves have sharp pointed
"hypodermic" tip; plants reproduce by seeds, rhizomes, and
tubers (nuts)
Purple Nutsedge - correct answer -Perennial sedge; smaller
stems than yellow Nutsedge and leaved have dull, blunt, or boat-
shaped leaf tips
Dandelion - correct answer -Perennial broadleaf weed with thick,
fleshy orange taproot; produces rosette of long, narrow variably
ALABAMA OTPS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS| UPDATED 2026
Goosegrass - correct answer -Summer annual grass; silver
crabgrass; thrives in compacted soil area;; germination may be 4
to 6 weeks later than crabgrass; lower sterns strongly flattened
and crown in silver-white; at maturity, 4 or 5 flattened finger-like
seed heads produced at end of sterns
Large Crabgrass - correct answer -Summer annual; germination-
late March to early April; fibrous root system and roots at lower
nodes; lower sterns flattened, pale green, with hairy sheaths that
form unsightly patches
Chickweed - correct answer -Winter annual broadleaf weed which
roots at nodes; creeping habit of numerous branched stems forms
dense patches; leaves are opposite, oval shaped, and bright
shiny green; white flowers are 5 pedaled (deeply notched);
appearing as 10 petals
, Page | 2
Carolina geranium - correct answer -Winter annual broadleaf
weed; simple leaves are deeply divided or segmented; stems
erect and much branched; basal cluster of leaves with reddish-
green hairy stems; bears cluster of white to pale purple flowers at
end of stems
Spur weed - correct answer -Winter annual broadleaf weed;
frequently referred to as sand spur; prostate growth with finely
dissected leaves; leaves and stems covered with fine hairs; fruits
with spines produced from inconspicuous green flowers; weed is
not evident for most of growing period (spreads rapidly); plants
grow in tufts and produce small 5 pedaled yellow flowers
Hop Clover - correct answer -Winter annual broadleaf weed; mat-
forming legume with trifoliate leaves; numerous small white and
yellow flowers produced in spring
Black Medic - correct answer -Winter annual broadleaf weed; dark
blue-green;prostrate; spreading weed with square stems; league
with 3 wedge shaped leaflets with spur or tooth at tip; at maturity,
bright yellow flowers are compressed into cluster; each flower
develops into a tightly coiled black seedpod
, Page | 3
Cudweed - correct answer -Biennial broadleaf weed; basal rosette
of leaves with grayish-white appearance; leaves are long, narrow,
and blunt tipped; during second year, branched flowering stems
produced with small narrow leaves; flowers are tan to white in
color and appear at the base of the upper leaves
False Dandelion - correct answer -Biennial broadleaf weed; basal
rosette of round lobed, dissected leaves; during second year,
branched leafy stem produced with several yellow flowers; mature
seed head strongly resembles dandelion
Yellow Nutsedge - correct answer -Perennial sedge; slender,
triangular, pale green stems up to 24 inch. Tall; most leaves basal
except for yellow seed head; leaves have sharp pointed
"hypodermic" tip; plants reproduce by seeds, rhizomes, and
tubers (nuts)
Purple Nutsedge - correct answer -Perennial sedge; smaller
stems than yellow Nutsedge and leaved have dull, blunt, or boat-
shaped leaf tips
Dandelion - correct answer -Perennial broadleaf weed with thick,
fleshy orange taproot; produces rosette of long, narrow variably
