The ability of three Echinochloa colona (L.) Link ecotypes to compete with rice (Oryza sativa L.) was evaluated. For all the ecotypes, E. colona was shorter and produced less leaf area and dry matter than rice at 15 days after seeding (DAS), whereas the reverse was observed from 30 to 60 DAS. Neither E. colona nor rice tillered during the first 15 DAS, but E. colona had greater accumulative tiller length than rice from 15 DAS. Rice absorbed more nitrogen than E. colona at 15 DAS. E. colona absorbed greater amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium than did rice between 30 and 60 DAS and increase in its density decreased the nutrients uptake of rice. Differences in the competitive ability of the ecotypes were related to the growth characteristics of the ecotypes and the period of competition between the two species. At the early growth stages the Pangasinan ecotype, which increased plant size rapidly and had a shorter life cycle, was more competitive against rice than the Leyte and South Cotabato ecotypes, which had a longer vegetative growth period. However, the reverse was observed at the later growth stages of the ecotypes.