What kind of weed?

Kelly
by Kelly
This plant started growing in my flower bed. It has really sharp prickers on it. Do you know what kind of weed this is? It seems as though I have to dig this up because there is really thorny.
Thorny weed.
  14 answers
  • Rhonda B Rhonda B on Aug 25, 2014
    It is the rosette of a Thistle (Cirsium species). Most Thistles are considered weeds.
  • Vicki lynn Vicki lynn on Aug 25, 2014
    Thistle, you got to dig out the root to kill it off, they make a tool for them, they can hurt if you step on them or grab them by hand. They have a long root in the center...be careful
  • One thing I may add to this. I also have these growing out of control in my gardens. I noticed by the photo that a black mulch was used. I also have that same type of mulch in my garden. I did not have these plants until I used this stuff. Wondering if that has anything to do with it where perhaps the mulch came from?
  • 169756 169756 on Aug 26, 2014
    It's thistle and painful, but does get a beautiful flower eventually. :)
  • Peggy Ballinger Peggy Ballinger on Aug 26, 2014
    I feed my Finches Thistle seed and I have thistle growing in my flower beds. Even the beds without mulch! They are very hard to kill!
  • Three Dogs in a Garden Three Dogs in a Garden on Aug 27, 2014
    Gloves are a great idea when handling thistles. I use a narrow trowel to lift and expose the carrot-like root. Then, grasping it by the root (to avoid those nasty thorns), I through it onto my compost pile.
  • Gail Gail on Aug 27, 2014
    @Kelly If this is the first time you've ever seen one of these, your lucky. I live in the country and they sprout up in my yard all the time sure hurt when I don't see them and I'm running around barefooted.
  • Lee Cunningham Green Lee Cunningham Green on Aug 27, 2014
    it is a thistle they are mean ouchy plants. they have a lovely flower but better to let them grow far from the flower bed you actually work on.
  • Carole Carole on Aug 27, 2014
    I would dig it out before it flowers or else it will spread seeds around your garden and you will get lots more of these. Only put this into your compost if you hot compost. Those black plastic bins that they sell at the hardware store are too small for compost to reach the temperature that is required to kill weeds. If you do not have a compost bin at least 1 cubic metre (about 1 cubic yard or three feet) then your compost is not hot compost and you would do better not to add weeds to it as the seeds and roots won't be killed off. These weeds will regrow from a piece of the root so ensure you get it all out. Good luck!
  • Paula H Paula H on Aug 27, 2014
    These are from bird poop yes and they just keep coming back all you can do it get them out root for sure and hope they don't return
  • Sherry R Sherry R on Aug 27, 2014
    Some kind of thistle...I am thinking maybe Bull Thistle. Pretty, but difficult.
  • Eloise Keeter Eloise Keeter on Aug 28, 2014
    Thistle. Can spray with diesel or gasoline to kill.
    • See 1 previous
    • Joe O'Connor Joe O'Connor on Jul 10, 2018

      I use all sorts of fuels for my garden. Exxon gives me a bulk discount

  • Irene Irene on Aug 28, 2014
    The thistle is the flower of Scotland and as the story goes, the English army tried to sneak up to a Scottish stronghold and as they got closer to the Scots they jumped up and ran to the castle to kill the king and his army WHEN! they started screaming and alerted the Scots of the danger as they ran through the thick dense growth of the glorious thistle. It maybe that the thistle is also protecting your wee castle.
  • Pat Pat on Dec 20, 2014
    Thistle. I am told that vinegar sprayed on weeds is an environmentally friendly weed killer. Nntry spraying it on.