Carduus acanthoides, August 15, 2022
Common & scientific name
Plumeless thistle, Carduus acanthoides
Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae
Location
Roadside, 9,100’
Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This invasive plant needs no introduction. It hails from Europe, and is a scourge across all 50 states. Spreading through its seeds, it’s important to de-head it before it goes to seed: each plant produces upward of 1,000 (and by some estimates 10,000) seeds! With a reported 90% germination rate, this one bears controlling. It appears in a few spots on the lower roadside of the Pass.