Natria vs Roundup [Top Herbicide Comparison]

Natria is a weed killer designed as a safe replacement for Roundup. Natria and Roundup are both non-selective herbicides, meaning they attack all species of plants and grass. This makes Natria a good alternative to Roundup.

Despite claims that Natria is a natural or environmentally safe weed killer, both Natria and Roundup contain synthetic herbicides. Roundup contains Glyphosate, as well as additional ingredients which may be harmful to humans and the environment. Natria does not contain Glyphosate, but does contain Maleic Hydrazide, which may also have a wide range of detrimental effects on wildlife.

What is the Difference Between Natria and Roundup?

Natria and Roundup are two completely different herbicide formulations with no shared active ingredients. This means that none of the health and environmental risks present in Roundup apply to Natria, and vice-versa.

• Natria and Roundup are completely different herbicidal formulations with no shared active ingredients.
• Both Natria and Roundup are non-selective herbicides—they attack all types of plants, including weeds, grasses, trees, garden plants, and unwanted vegetation.
• Both Natria and Roundup are post-emergent herbicides. They attack actively growing plants only and do not prevent seeds from sprouting.
• Natria can be used instead of Roundup in weed and grass control applications.

Although they are completely different formulations, Natria and Roundup act similarly. Both herbicides are non-selective, meaning they attack all actively growing plants. This means they will kill both weeds and your lawn grass. Similarly, both Roundup and Natria are post-emergence herbicides that do not linger in the soil. You can replant an area treated with Natria or Roundup after 5 days. This makes Natria a good alternative herbicide to Roundup.

What is the Active Ingredient in Natria?

Natria has two active ingredients. They are ammoniated soap of fatty acids and Maleic Hydrazide.

• Natria contains 2 active ingredients.
• Ammoniated soap is the active ingredient in Natria that kills aboveground plant growth.
• Maleic Acid is the chemical herbicide in Natria that attacks plant roots to prevent regrowth.

Ammoniated soap is a naturally-derived fatty acid that works as a high-strength detergent to break down cell walls and dry out plant tissues. Maleic Hydrazide is a herbicide first developed in the 1950s that attacks the chromosomes of plants, stopping root growth and killing the plant entirely.

What is the Active Ingredient in Roundup?

Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup. This compound enters plants through the leaves and prevents the plant from synthesizing amino acids necessary for photosynthesis. Effectively, Glyphosate stops the plant from creating new cells and thereby kills it.

What’s Better: Natria or Roundup?

Natria and Roundup are both ready-to-use herbicides that come pre-mixed. For the purposes of this comparison, we will compare the following products:

• Natria Grass & Weed Control: Containing 3.68% ammoniated soap of fatty acids and 0.5% Maleic Hydrazide
• Roundup III: Containing 2% Glyphosate

Let’s take a closer look at both of these herbicides to determine which product is better for weed control and safer for use in your yard.

Which Kills More Weeds? Natria vs. Roundup

Both Natria and Roundup kill the same spectrum of plants. Because both are non-selective weed killers, they attack all plant species. However, at ready-to-use concentrations, neither Natria nor Roundup is extremely powerful. While they will both kill invasive grasses and common weeds, they are less effective against killing some of the toughest weeds like vines, woody plants, and shrubs.

• Natria and Roundup are both non-selective weed killers that attack all plant species.
• Both weed killers perform best when applied to grasses and common weeds.
• Natria and Roundup both require repeat applications to kill larger vines, woody plants, and shrubs.

Although individual results may vary, the weed-killing power of Natria and Roundup are very similar. It’s important to note that since both weed killers are non-selective, they will damage any turf grass or ornamental plants they are applied to.

Natria vs. Roundup: Which Kills Weeds Faster?

Natria kills weeds in 7 days. This compares favorably to Roundup, which kills weeds to the root in 7–14 days.

• Both products can show initial results within 2 hours.
• Natria requires at least 7 days to kill weeds to the root.
• Roundup kills weeds completely in 7–14 days.

Again, the two weed killers have similar effectiveness and speed at killing weeds systemically. This bolsters the argument that Natria is a great alternative to Roundup.

Is Natria Safe Compared to Roundup?

Natria is touted as a natural alternative to Roundup that is considered “low-risk” for pets. However, this deserves closer scrutiny. While the Ammoniated Soap in Natria is an organic substance, it also contains Maleic Hydrazide. This herbicide, and its “chromosome breaking” vector of attack, has been shown to harm animals.

• The active ingredients in Natria have not been linked to cancer.
• Maleic Hydrazide in Natria has been connected to chromosomal aberrations in insects, fish, and mammals by some studies.
• Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup has been linked to increased risk of non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in humans.
• Additional ingredients in Roundup are known to be harmful to aquatic wildlife.

Roundup is considered by many to be harmful to both humans and the environment. Although not listed as an active ingredient, the surfactant POEA used in Roundup is dangerous to aquatic wildlife, especially fish. Because Roundup contains this ingredient, it is not safe for use near bodies of water.

Is Natria Organic?

Natria is not an organic product. It contains the synthetic herbicide Maleic Hydrazide. While Natria may be safer for human use than Roundup, it is not a chemical-free product, and may still be harmful to the environment. This is cause for concern. If you want a completely naturally-derived herbicide, consider using Ammonium Nonanoate, which is derived from plant oils.

Is Natria a Good Alternative to Roundup?

Natria compares well to Roundup because it kills the same wide range of plants and weeds, and acts just as quickly. However, beware of claims that Natria is a “natural” or “organic” weed killer. It does contain the herbicide Maleic Hydrazide as an active ingredient. Both Roundup and Natria contain ingredients that have been linked to environmental damage. On the bright side, Natria does not contain compounds that have been linked to cancer. So, Natria is a safer alternative to Roundup, but it is not completely natural or risk-free.