What is the primary characteristic of a non-selective herbicide?

A non-selective herbicide is designed to kill all plants indiscriminately, making it effective for broad-spectrum weed control. This characteristic is particularly useful in situations where complete vegetation removal is needed, such as clearing an area before replanting or managing overgrown spaces. Non-selective herbicides disrupt the cellular processes of plants, leading to the death of any contacted vegetation, regardless of species.

The other options detail characteristics that do not apply to non-selective herbicides. For example, targeting specific weeds only describes selective herbicides, which are formulated to affect particular species while sparing others. The assertion about requiring multiple applications pertains more to specific conditions of herbicide efficacy rather than defining a non-selective herbicide. Lastly, the statement regarding exclusive use in aquatic environments does not correctly represent the usage of non-selective herbicides, as they can be applied in various situations beyond aquatic settings.