Pokeweed...Henbit Deadnettle.... Part of me goes "yuck" when I see them in my yard, but my heart reminds me that I want a yard that's friendly to wildlife. So I leave the henbit alone, not only because its inconspicuous purple flowers are attractive hwen nothing else is blooming, but because it feeds the pollinators all winter long, it seems.
And pokeweed... that's my love/hate relationship. I accept it in the areas I've declared "for the critters," but fight it in the areas I've declared "for myself."
Dandelions? I've always enjoyed them, and was delighted when you or Dave posted here about how it fixes nitrogen in the soil, and how its long taproots bring nutrients closer to the surface. I love being able to have a "justifiable reason" to leave a supposed weed in my yard, in case anyone ever complains about them.
My brother loves to tell me the story of a friend of his who moved to a suburban neighborhood where everyone had pristine lawns. Next time his friend was back in his old neighborhood, he dug up a dandelion and transplanted it to his new front yard, just to shake up the status quo.
