Abstract: Plant-cutting shears with a chemical applicator includes two cutting blades, each having a handle. A resilient fluid-absorptive element capable of holding a quantity of a systemic herbicide or other liquid plant-treatment chemical is provided. The chemical-holding element is mounted on the shears such that a surface of the element lies approximately in the cutting plane of the blades, but with the element isolated from fluid contact with the overlapping active areas of the blades. In operation, with a single cutting motion of the shears, a user may cut a plant and cause the resilient chemical-holding element to make direct fluid-applying physical contact with the plant wounds.