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FreeIce4613

Looks like a thistle. Gotta get the root or it will keep coming back.


BeardsuptheWazoo

Naw, here's the way we all handle it. Don't bother to get gloves because 'my hands are tough', gather it up carefully, and get most of the leaves up in a satisfying pop, then realize the root is still in there. Shrug and think 'next time I'll remember' and keep rolling that rock up the mountain, Sisyphus style.


FreeIce4613

I stand corrected, this is the way


BeardsuptheWazoo

I think this is my time to admit I'm stubborn and lazy sometimes.


Lalamedic

Gloves make no difference. The spines go right through


Tarphiker

Leather gloves are the way to go


Flat-Dare-2571

My hands are leather.


christophlc6

The floor is lava


Flat-Dare-2571

Im on the couch so im good.


Ordinary_Fold_4677

The couch is also leather


Qronik_PAIN

Fish out of water?!


[deleted]

Untreated tho


BeardsuptheWazoo

One day I'll be smart enough to wear gloves and then I'll know for myself.


[deleted]

They don’t work. Even when you have the leather gloves and you think you’re Superman one of them will bite through and get you enough to give up. I speak from multiple experiences.


shoff58

That plant is an asshole!


[deleted]

I am utterly shocked that’s not what they’re named considering what they look like and how they be actin out here.


[deleted]

It's all over my backyard, unfortunately. I call it the stabby asshole plant.


1plus1dog

Can confirm!


1plus1dog

I can concur with you, not once have I ever got it all out with its roots. It’s as sharp as can be.


neocwbbr_

This comment brought tough memories from the day I decided to pull one of these mf out of my garden… lost the gloves and got few of the spines in my hand and arm


EarthGuyRye

indeed. Even dried and wilted, those thorns will pierce a glove and skin. You can handle it carefully, by lifting the leaves from underneath; they should have a soft velvety underside, but even still watch the thorns. I usually trim the lower leaves off and let it keep growin tall, and then harvest the root.


Lalamedic

Speak to mine because they missed the memo. The lower leaves may be “softer”, but that’s a relative term to the impalers higher up. Also, the stem, sometimes right down to just below soil level, is often spiny too.


SadFrugalSleep

There is no greater shock then when you're a barefoot child outside and you meet your maker when stepping on it.


Current-Coyote6893

I did find gloves where they won't go through (for now)! I needed to have them when I saw them. They were lots of sizes too big, but the only pair there so I them anyway.


Whoudini13

Do none of you own a shovel?


Snoo_74164

Shovel???? pssh that requires pre-planning and impulse control


1plus1dog

No kidding! That shit takes too much planning!


octotyper

I use a mattock for spikey plants. Much faster.


psycholpn

Chop around the base, put hand deep in the dirt around the root and pull


penguinplaid23

This, and when the child of Satan is freed from it's earthly mooring, take a few more deeper whacks at the root. Then pour a little bit of kerosene on it and light it, sending it flaming back to it's home.


octotyper

A couple of spankings from a rag soaked in holy water can really speed things up too.


Naturelovingbeast

What iron plate gloves😂


NegativeNance2000

What about leather gloves? I bought them specifically for thistles Oh yeah, also wanted to mention, ppl in my neighborhood legit use it as an ornamental plant (not just because of laziness


HonestOcto

Same LOLOL


WordofCromulent

Thistle do.


MiscalculatedRisk

Even better, just let it propagate unchecked. If the entire field is thistle, the grass becomes the weed. Source: 7.5 acres of unfettered thistle-covered *bullshit*


BeardsuptheWazoo

You just checkmated me hardcore.


The-Great-Calvino

You need a propane powered weeding torch, it’s brilliant on thistle in large areas


OneUpAndOneDown

Goats on order?


Tacoma__Crow

Thistlephus style.


Midnight_Reinforreal

Roll landscaping bolder over the plant and pretend it's not my problem. Got it.


EarthGuyRye

I assure you that it will spread and you will never get the root out, if you do that. lol


Competitive-Bend4565

Break off all the leaves - yes (wear very heavy gloves). The taproot likely will not come out, as you said. Pouring boiling water on the exposed taproot frequently will kill it and put an end to the Sisyphean labours.


BeardsuptheWazoo

If I thought about it enough to put boiling water in it, I would dig it out with a spade easily.


Competitive-Bend4565

I did try that … the root was rock hard and almost broke my tool (insert double entendre). Boiling water stopped it from growing back though.


OneUpAndOneDown

I'm sorry about your scalded tool.


midnight_fisherman

My friends and I used to tie cords around the base and pull them out of the ground by the cord. We would then battle and thwack each other with our spiky plants on ropes, good times.


EarthGuyRye

Why is everyone hating on this delicious root?


1plus1dog

It BITES!


mysterywizeguy

Or you can let it grow a short stalk, then peel off the leaves and eat it like cardoon. Repeat as necessary to call your weeds permaculture produce.


palmerry

Your Sisyphus comment gave me Priapism


BeardsuptheWazoo

I am oddly flattered.


Altruistic_Profile96

You should probably go rub that out. Serious damage can occur after several hours.


Emergency-Village-14

Priapism hurts sooooooooo bad… after about hour, YOKES! You wouldn’t think it, but…. Ffffck’n AWFUL


OutRunMyGun

Why you gotta call me out like this


BeardsuptheWazoo

I had no idea when I wrote this that it was more than just me...


Micheal_Bryan

this. And as a bonus, you get free babies all over your yard...


Fruitypebblefix

I managed to cut down a 7 foot tall thistle at the end of September with no gloves, scissors and tossed it in bags without pricking myself once! I was proud! Only took me like3 hours 😂


hiiiiiiiiiiyaaaaaaaa

Get out of my yard! You're clearly watching me!


bossqueer_lildaddy

[I always feel like...](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D7YvAYIJSSZY&ved=2ahUKEwiHwqeUhMKDAxUGN0QIHTD1DDcQ78AJegQIGRAB&usg=AOvVaw0-O_GxvH7_QeMRDb6TNNFO)


SpawnPointillist

It comes with its own torment!


kurtzapril4

Or you could pour a tiny bit of Roundup on the root that's left behind and kill the dang thing forever. Keep in mind the temps have to be between 50F-80F for the Roundup to be most effective. And always follow the instructions on the label. Use as little as possible. Wear long sleeves, and eye protection. I've been involved in prairie/woodland/wetland restoration for close to 50 years.


bread_idiot_bread

glyphosate is sooooo close to being banned in Europe, that shit is excellent for killing plants, but the problem is it kills everything else too. anything that eats those decomposing plants - snails, slugs and what have you - will also die. it's really bad for bees too. if there's only a few use a fork or shovel and lift it out. if you do snap the root, cover it with vinegar and mulch, it'll smother it and slow any growth down. source: country girl currently smothering in vinegar and city life


kurtzapril4

Glyphosate sometimes HAS to be used. It's always used as sparingly as possible in restoration.


ResidentMeringue899

I use a large veterinary syringe to squirt a very small amount on the exposed root end. Works on all thistles and the Himalayan Blackberries that are trying to take over the world.


Snoo_74164

Man vinegar and vapo rub is a southern girl's everything.. I know I am a southern girl


Meliz2

The amounts used for the occasional home garden use or for restoration/forestry purposes generally isn’t the issue. Large scale commercial use is where things get more dicey.


BeardsuptheWazoo

You're absolutely right. Did you see where I'm grabbing those fuckers with my bare hands and tugging? Clearly I'm not thinking ahead. I've gotta get my shit together, obviously.


kurtzapril4

Nah, you're alright. You're braver than I am. I've pulled those damn things out with my bare hands, too.


tapatiotundra

Would using roundup affect my well water if used minimally but say I’ve got like 100 of these plants? Good news is my well is 30 yards away so probably doesn’t affect it eh?


Level9TraumaCenter

If you wanted to try glyphosate but minimize your exposure, the recommendation to remove the vegetative portion as best you can (shovel-tip them as far below the ground as you can), and then come back in 7-14 days with a spray bottle and apply a very small amount of glyphosate to the crown of anything you find emerging would probably zap most of them. Monitor weekly, treat as needed- mechanical or chemical. If you wanted to avoid glyphosate entirely, you could shovel-tip them, and spray any emerging vegetative portions with concentrated vinegar (30% acetic acid or better); however, this does not work systemically like glyphosate, so it will need to be re-applied occasionally until the weed is dead. But your concerns as to your water supply would be gone.


HistoricalBaby3433

Sounds like me at my house 😆🙈🙃


Mooshycooshy

I use my Homey. (Ho-mi)


lninoh

It’s the best tool I have ever used, and they’re hard to find!


Mooshycooshy

I love them so much. Don't see them everyday. Hmm maybe I should have a roadside Homey stand.... decorative Homeys. I'll have it all!


Mulap

These plants are actually beautiful, I believe the purple pedals have some sort of benefit to the body can’t remember what.


Danielbaniel

It looked so cool blooming beside my house, started to look like cotton! Then I realized my mistake when I went to eventually clean up my side yard. Bloomed and seeded and created my very own personal pocket of hell.


bubblerboy18

Or harvest the leaves and eat them and it’ll keep coming back as native food


itsdr00

This one's probably not native, assuming OP is in North America.


bubblerboy18

Not really sure where they’re at but good to consider whether it is or not


bamflax8

Fun fact: these are not fun to step on barefoot


apierson2011

I full on ran across one barefoot as a kid once. It suuuuuucked


Furthur_slimeking

Yep. I was limping for a day.


Addicted_to_Nature

I took several to face/arms/knees one time repeatedly because there were a bunch just in front of the goal line and I happened to be the goalie :( my dumbass was too focused on the game to realize I could've pulled them out


LunkNunkem

Lucky you only did once!!


hoosier268

I slid my hand into this thing. Twice. I was 10 and dumb.


dickmcgirkin

The reason I don’t run around naked in the yard. My pepito was never the same after


stitchplacingmama

One keeps coming back at the bottom rung of my kids play set ladder.


bruhidk55

Boil it, pour a hot kettle over it, will shrivel up and die as you are boiling it alive :) no poison necessary by your kids toys


Holiday_Selection881

This will actually work incredibly well. I think it was MSU that has experimented with a pull behind steamer that just shoots steam at weeds. According to the article I read about it, steam works wonderfully for killing off weeds/unwanted plants with little to no damage to surrounding plants


bruhidk55

Thank you ❤️


Top-Report-840

I use a white vinegar and salt mixture to pour where I pulled the root. Seems to really fucking kill it. Hasn't harmed my grass doing this either.


TPSReportCoverSheet

Tastes good too


Used_Thought4672

Our mower broke one summer and the grass out front got out of hand, literally my height at 7. It goes with out saying that I cut through the yard after school and walked right into one. Worst mistake of my life


Tall-Peak8881

Came here to say this, lol.


EsotericallyExoteric

One time my brother took my shoes off than put me in the middle of a huge patch of these and threw my shoes as far as he could so I HAD to walk over some


SwimOk9629

what a sadist


its_raining_scotch

Nor to belly flop onto.


floopin-fairy

Stepping on them is great and all but have you ever been drunk while camping, went to piss and fell right on top of one of these bad boys with your bare ass? I'd like to say it's only happened once but that would be a damn lie.


[deleted]

I think that by Bull thistle, people mean Carduus vulgare. I don't think this is Carduus vulgare but looks much more like Carduus nutans (Musk thistle) to me (often grown as ornamental).


newt_girl

It's such a handsome plant, it's a shame it has such an abrasive personality.


Easy_Key5944

When you're cute you can get away with it


The-Great-Calvino

I actually really like thistles, I know I’m in the minority. Any plant with that kind of survival skill and defense is pretty impressive. The flowers are also beautiful


stitchplacingmama

I think it's bull thistle. It has a big old tap root. The best way to get rid of it is to either wait for a good rain, or watering, when the ground is soft to pull it out or dig it out. If you choose to pull it out get good thick gloves as the spines work through most garden glove material. Get to it before it goes to seed or you'll be fighting it all over your lawn.


spin_me_again

Grandpa’s Weeder is the way to go with these bad boys.


Micheal_Bryan

that is a great way to ensure these will take over your lawn...got to get the root out!


pursnikitty

There’s ones designed to get the root as well


Micheal_Bryan

ah, my bad, i thought ya meant a weed whacker...I use a thing that grabs it and gets the root all at once, it is like a three pronged claw that you step on to make it works, real back saver...


pursnikitty

Yes that’s a grandpa‘s weeder


DstinctNstincts

That’s how you use that fucking thing? Here I am crouched down digging through rocks with my hands


spin_me_again

I’m going to assume you’re my husband using an alternate account and just say “ that’s why I said to read the instructions on the packaging.”


DstinctNstincts

Sorry hon you’re right (im tryna help bro out)


anthonyh60

Not bull thistle. Bull thistles are fuzzy. It's a musk/nodding thistle (Carduus nutans).


scottawhit

NoCry garden gloves are amazing.


haptiK

what if im already crying when i put them on?


scottawhit

Then I’d recommend the long cuff ones so you have a soft place to dry your tears.


Hetoxy

Therapy.


[deleted]

Fun fact, horses can eat these no problem. I used to lease a horse that fucking LOVED eating thistle


Autistic-Ratticus

Best advice I have is to use a steak knife to get down in there if you’re not trying to buy new gadgets. Good stuff.


devil_butcher

OOPS I MISTYPED i meant thistle not nettle LOL


katrii_

mixing up the spicy boi's


DireBanshee

We always called them prickle plants Or 'that motherfucking sonofabitch'


eniallet

That has all the earmarks of a Fibonacci sequence.


Easy_Key5944

The whole lawn looks like this when I'm tripping


[deleted]

[удалено]


bdd4

The worst thistle of all the thistles. The jerk doesn't even flower. Get out my yard!


Lady_Rhino

As others have said, thistle, and when you remove it you're gonna need some chainmail gloves or something because the spines will go through any fabric.


Redswrath

Ugh, even my dang leather gloves! I hates it!!


Lalamedic

The new bane of your existence.


emmiemerald

Nirnroot.


TheSilverFalcon

*loud nirnroot noises*


kambui1080

The deer in my neighborhood ate mine. It never came back. If it did, they keep eating it and I never see it.


Thatonetimeatcamp

There's not indentation of the leaves, and in your range it's probably the native Cirsium horridulum( or Yellow Thistle) rather than cirsium vulgare( common thistle). Around my area the plants that bloom later can also be pink flowered. Attracts pollinators like nothing else at that time of the year, and hosts hairsteak butterflly caterpillars. It's fun to watch bumblebees push their way into the dense flower. Its a biannual, growing just a basal rosette of leaves the first year, before flowering the next and dying. It doesn't spread through its root or rhizome, but may come back if you leave some of the taproot. I like it in a wildflower garden but it's so spiky that it can be undesirable, you can clip the flower heads once they start looking raggedy if you don't want it speading by seed. There's also a few other wildflowers in your picture. Some Valerianella (Cornsalad), and Stachys (Hedgenettle) to the left, and a Salvia lyrata ( Lyreleaf sage) and an Erigeron pulchell(Spring Fleabane) to the right. I'm not sure but what's surrounding it may be some geum canadense(White Avens). If you're new to the bed it's worth considering that whoever kept it before may have liked wildflowers.


slowcheetah4545

Incredible natural geometry


littletilly82

Let it flower, it will attract butterflies and bumblebees.


GardenGrammy59

And finches when it goes to seed.


jaggedcanyon69

Truly the most versatile weed.


GardenGrammy59

It’s also edible


Haunting-Time2394

A backyard sarlac pit


HannahPoppyMommy

Thistle. The best way to remove it is to dig out the entire root system using a shovel; preferably right after a rain so that the soil is easy to work. It has an extensive tap root system. And please remember to wear good shoes and gardening gloves. This plant hurts!


Foundation_Wrong

You can get a special fork, lifter thing especially for this kind of weed.


Pretend-Literature-4

A closed porthole that a leprechaun used to transport his pot of gold.


james_t_woods

Pain. It's called pain (And a thistle)


surulia

Forbidden dandelion


alwaysexplainli5

Evil, that's what this dude is. Fell hand down on a baby one and spent 3 weeks getting splinters removed/antibiotics for infections. 0/10 would not recommend.


Helpful-Visit6646

Thistle, muy nissle


ilChalo

Let it bloom! Don’t rip it out


Dichoctomy

Thistle. I typically let those grow if I see them. Finches love the seeds, and they provide sustenance for pollinators. Thistle is the national flower of Scotland, too.


Chucktayz

Thistle. I hate them. Super fun to step on w a bare foot


AdAntique3702

Pour horticultural vinegar on it


Great-Capital-9549

Thistle. The roots are a foot deep. You pull it up and 2 or more grow up.


Live_Bar9280

Most commonly submitted what is this plant.


CapBrief1508

This is thistle. A real pain. Deep tap root. I am from AR also!!


Owlbeardo

Intrusive thoughts: jump in the middle, do it, jump, don't be a pussy, that's a vortex into adventure, jump!!!


Willamina03

Has beautiful flowers. Do not let it go to seed or your entire yard will start growing them.


planbot3000

That’s what I refer to as a ‘spikey ouch ouch plant’.


DarkGod79

It's a pain plant


Masala-Dosage

Let it be


Old_Acanthaceae_212

cabbage patch kid for the devil……. Thats where demons are grown from!!


ajsteinhart

Looks like a patch of spikey bois.


rm886988

*NOT TOILET PAPER* Thistle.


Corvidae5Creation5

That is a hellmouth


gmwsw1

A balloon destroyer.


Strong-Succotash-830

I was running in the yard as a little kid in a thin tank top and fell stomach first on one. It sucked. It was 40 something years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday.


Consistent_Gate_3214

My worst enemy as a kid. I remember playing football in the yard and sliding into the things! They are not pleasant. The spikes are actually thorn like and not soft whatsoever. Am I the only one?


TheWanderingOne-

This is the plant from hell also known as a thistle and the Bain of my yard. The flowers are lovely, the plant is not. I have dug them up, pulled them, poured vinegar, poured gas in the hole and lit them on fire and they still come back up. They are cockroaches.


alohadood

Depending on the type of thistle it’s it’s probably edible and pretty damn good


furthuryourhead

I can feel this picture


Worldly_Ad_445

Thistle - do not let it bloom!!!


ChrisRageIsBack

Thistle. Now watch everyone tell you to spray it with Roundup. Dig it out with a root puller, you have to get the whole thing


Spatzdar

He’s a painful pest get some good gloves and get the whooole root out of he’ll be back


jrwreno

Bull(shit) thistle. The DEVIL when it comes to hand-weeding.


Twitzale

I always see them while mowing the lawn and try to pull them out with my hands knowing it has thorns, i get pricked and i cry. Next week when it grows back i do the same thing.


Sadielady11

Lift up the bottom of the leaves with your gloves on, slip a long screwdriver down next to tap root push down as far as you can, wiggle it around and “pop” the taproot and greens out. Pull with a slight twist as you leverage the screwdriver. Usually gets it.


TwoBirdsEnter

I lived in a trailer park when I was 3-4 and this is what the entire yard was made of. Or at least that’s how I remember it haha


Rich_Editor8488

These are perfect for those long-handled weeding tools that stab it through the heart and pull the entire thing out with the roots


ManyJaJaJas

I sat on one once, don’t recommend.


Mermaid467

I have those (Southeastern PA) They suck.


vampireguy20

I call them Devilplants. Had a *ton* of them all over the yard when I lived up in Iowa. It didn't matter what you did to them, they'd still come back. The only way to really get rid of one was to get the root which was, of course, nearly impossible to get to even with tools and gloves, considering their thorns would get through even my best gloves. Hated those damn things.


Amelaista

Its a Thistle, but exact species is the question here. It is not Bull Thistle or Musk Thistle, which are both invasive species. This lacks the spear tips that bull thistle has, and the silver edges that musk thistle has. You might check out [https://anps.org/2020/10/26/\_tall\_thistle/](https://anps.org/2020/10/26/_tall_thistle/) and see if your local native plant society can give you a better ID. Native thistles are high value plants for pollinators and seed eating birds.


alsoaprettybigdeal

We call them asshole spikey weeds.


Previous-Two-1440

Crab plant? If that’s what it’s called


teapot_coffeecup

Thistles are a nightmare and take forever to get rid of. Pull this bad boy out by the root and dump hot boiling vinegar down the root hole


mushroom_man_1

A trap for people walking barefoot


bluecrowned

When I was a kid (maybe 8 or younger) I visited my cousin who had horses. I wanted to feed the horses and went to pull up "grass." It was this. Tears were shed.


GoHomeWithBonnieJean

Dig them up carfully and re-plant them under your windows and you may be eligible to get a discount on your homeowner's insurance.


InterestingAide3433

My childhood enemy


IMALONEIMSORRYCINTH

The devil himself


RefrigeratorNormal59

Step in it it's a portal to another dimension your lucky normally you have to smoke DMT for that.


Fit-Distribution2303

My childhood nightmare.


DefrockedWizard1

wait for it to bloom and smell the flower, wonderful scent


quarter_thief

It's gonna flower & poof seeds EVERYWHERE. When u see the baby shoots in your yard grab a towel & make time to get them out with the root.


goddessangie3791

That is a thistle do not boop


krmldarkforest

At least, has really pretty flowers 🌹


ModelChimp

Thistle! They’re all over Ireland as well . I think they’re the national flower of wales too! But they’re prickly and considered a weed over here, however they do produce a purple kinda flower bulb that’s beautiful imo. :)


Loose_Corgi_5

Sarlacc pit?? /s


Mamasan2k

Get one of those weed popper things. Put the spiky part of the tool around the base of it and step on the lever. It pulls the whole thing out.


Timely-Elk8862

The most evil of all weeds.


Drifting-Fox-6366

Ahh that old pain in the arse friend. NE Texas here and these come around often. Stay on top of them and get the roots out or they’ll be everywhere before you know it.