Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Tuesday - November 06, 2012
From: Harwood, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification, Problem Plants
Title: Identity of yellow-flowered plant with stickers
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I have yellow flowered plant taking over my lawn. I used weed killers last year and it has spread this year and still spreading. It has small burs (not as hard as a regular sticker bur but will stick in your foot or hand. What is it and how do I get rid of it?ANSWER:
The best possibility for your weed, I think, is one of the burclovers. One with particularly prickly seeds is Medicago polymorpha [syn. = Medicago hispida] (California burclover). It was introduced from Europe and is commonly used as a forage or cover crop for livestock. It also is a nitrogen fixer that enhances nitrogen availability in the soil. However, even though sheep eat it, the prickly seeds tend to get caught in the sheep's wool and lower the value of the wool. It is considered invasive in many places as it spreads through lawns and other unwanted areas. You can see on the general distribution map from the USDA Plants Database that it occurs over most of North America. Although it is not shown as occurring in Gonzales County on the Texas County Distribution map, it is shown as occurring in counties surrounding Gonzales County. You can read from Dr. Kaae-Online an extensive article on various methods to control it that are based on the University of California Online IPM Programs. As you know, it isn't easy to control and you will need to use a combination of methods and be persistent.
Another possibility for your plant is Tribulus terrestris (Puncture vine), a native of temperate and tropical areas of the Old World. However, its seeds are quite formidable and have been known to puncture tires so I doubt that this is your weed.
If neither of these plants is your problem plant, please visit our Plant Identification page to find links to plant identification forums that will accept photos of plants for identification.
More Plant Identification Questions
Locating Rosa rugosa for Massachusetts
May 09, 2006 - There is a shrub that grows out on the Cape especially at the beach. I have always called it Beach Rose and I have heard other people call it a Beach Plum. However, the most recent picture of a Beac...
view the full question and answer
Plant identification of ethereal plant in Colorado
August 28, 2010 - We live in the south central mountains of Colorado in the upper Arkansas River valley near Salida, Colorado. During the past few weeks we have noticed a very mystic looking plant (flower/grass?) alon...
view the full question and answer
Two-leafed trilliums
June 17, 2012 - Turns out our 2 leafed plant IS a trillium..I saw that another person from our town also asked about trilliums..we are happy to have them, but it is confusing when the third upper leaf is absent or ve...
view the full question and answer
Plant Identification in Montfort WI
June 15, 2010 - There is a small orange flower plant that grows wild along highways and in uncut yards in northwest Wisconsin--We are visiting in Siren, WI and have tried to dig some up and take home to SW WI. They d...
view the full question and answer
Mystery plant in private garden in Hutchinson MN
July 16, 2009 - I recently toured an amazing private garden. While touring the owner called her potted plant with purple clustered flowers something that sounds like 'pinsta'. Do you have any idea what it might ha...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |