I have noticed this weed popping up in various places. It is small with a tiny pink flower. Anyone know what it might be?

Persicaria
maybe
http://commons.wikimedia.org/w...

Thanks so much, Stefan, I think you hit the nail on the head!! I l googled around and Polygonum persicaria is apparently a common weed here in Maryland, so that's probably what it is.

I wasn't sure it has the right flower for Polygonum persicaria from the picture but it does look a little like there is a hint of the black splodge on the leaf that is characteristic?

thanks, Sue! I'll take a look today at the foliage and maybe try to get a better photo of the blossom!

Hi, I got a couple photos. There don't seem to be any dark splotches on the leaves but the bloom is clearer.

The bloom is the give away!

I can't remember the name, sorry it's very common throughout most of the eastern U.S.

I need to spend some time this weekend pulling it up--it really spreads very quickly.

It probably is a Polygonum, the flower looks more appropriate in the last image, and there is a hint of a dark splodge (not always a reliable ID characteristic in any case) on the leaves of the first picture. I'm not sure which one it is though from the images, apparently there are 46 species in the genus in northeastern North America according to this page, which also notes that "Specific species are hard to tell apart":

http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fi...

If you look at the nodes it probably has an ocrea, and kind of membranous sheath like this:

Thanks so much, Sue! Now to start pulling it up!! At least it comes up easily...