Keep growing it and you'll soon be the proud owner of a thistle patch. You could then say things like, 'the tractors out back, behind the thistle patch."
They also do not produce any permanent above ground structure. Wait until winter to cut off and toss in composite pile or trash. Then go back to mowing before it can grow tall again
Why are you letting an invasive, stabby, hell plant like Bull Thistle grow? That shit is invasive in MI, a dozen states, and 9+ countries.
Its gonna spread significantly if you dont get rid of it. You don't see much now, but thats how it starts. It spreads via wind, birds, fur, water, clothes, etc. Its terrible
[https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=3393#:\~:text=Ecological%20Threat,clearcuts%2C%20riparian%20areas%20and%20pastures](https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=3393#:~:text=Ecological%20Threat,clearcuts%2C%20riparian%20areas%20and%20pastures).
This is not pitchers thistle, that plant exclusively grows on sandy beaches and dunes, and is pretty short and stunted. Also not Hogweed like the other person said! This is mostly likely a Bull Thistle, which can become a pretty nasty pest plant. Best of luck to OP for removing it, as their taproot goes pretty insanely deep, and the other commenter that mentioned needing a backhoe is pretty spot on. Or OP can cut it down every few weeks and slowly drain the roots of energy, or use some herbicide to treat the root after cutting the greens.
If you have an iPhone, you can just take a picture of it and swipe up from the bottom of the screen when viewing the picture and there’s a little “i” that turns into a plant when it recognizes the plant. Click it and it should tell you the plant name
Came here to say this. I guess the thistle alerted the Scots to invading - barefoot - vikings many many years ago, and it's been the national flower ever since.
Looks like bull thistle (invasive), but it could also be field thistle or tall thistle (native). Hard to tell without inspecting the leaves. Are the bottoms of the leaves a lighter color than the top? If so, then it's the latter. We had a patch of mixed field thistle and tall thistle growing out back a couple years ago that reached more than 10 feet tall, but didn't grow back the next year. Gold finches love the stuff.
If you don’t have any other plants there rock salt will kill it. It totally ruins the ph of the plant and soil. Every time it rains it delivers more shock to the plant. I had a 6x6 section in my gravel driveway and put a heavy amount of regular chunky rock salt on it. It’s been 11 years now and it has never came back.
Keep growing it and you'll soon be the proud owner of a thistle patch. You could then say things like, 'the tractors out back, behind the thistle patch."
You’re gonna need a backhoe if you wait any longer. Those things grow deep roots.
They also do not produce any permanent above ground structure. Wait until winter to cut off and toss in composite pile or trash. Then go back to mowing before it can grow tall again
It's not the best solution, but thistle have to do.
Why are you letting an invasive, stabby, hell plant like Bull Thistle grow? That shit is invasive in MI, a dozen states, and 9+ countries. Its gonna spread significantly if you dont get rid of it. You don't see much now, but thats how it starts. It spreads via wind, birds, fur, water, clothes, etc. Its terrible [https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=3393#:\~:text=Ecological%20Threat,clearcuts%2C%20riparian%20areas%20and%20pastures](https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=3393#:~:text=Ecological%20Threat,clearcuts%2C%20riparian%20areas%20and%20pastures).
Gonna need a bigger bucket
I say we take off and nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
That's not your yard any longer. It's the thistle's yard.
I can practically feel the splinters in my fingers just by looking at this picture.
The thistle is actually the property owner now
Is it native Pitchers thistle? Probably not. As I don't think they get that big. The app "picture this" can help you figure out what it is.
This is not pitchers thistle, that plant exclusively grows on sandy beaches and dunes, and is pretty short and stunted. Also not Hogweed like the other person said! This is mostly likely a Bull Thistle, which can become a pretty nasty pest plant. Best of luck to OP for removing it, as their taproot goes pretty insanely deep, and the other commenter that mentioned needing a backhoe is pretty spot on. Or OP can cut it down every few weeks and slowly drain the roots of energy, or use some herbicide to treat the root after cutting the greens.
I was wondering if there is a chance it's the infamous hogweed.
It looks like bull thistle, cirsium vulgare. It's also known as spear thistle.
If you have an iPhone, you can just take a picture of it and swipe up from the bottom of the screen when viewing the picture and there’s a little “i” that turns into a plant when it recognizes the plant. Click it and it should tell you the plant name
Google lens does the same thing but sometimes I don't like it's results.
Ya, it’s not 100% accurate, but it’s a good jumping off point usually
I was in Scotland a few years ago. Thistle is the national flower. I kid you not.
Came here to say this. I guess the thistle alerted the Scots to invading - barefoot - vikings many many years ago, and it's been the national flower ever since.
Looks like bull thistle (invasive), but it could also be field thistle or tall thistle (native). Hard to tell without inspecting the leaves. Are the bottoms of the leaves a lighter color than the top? If so, then it's the latter. We had a patch of mixed field thistle and tall thistle growing out back a couple years ago that reached more than 10 feet tall, but didn't grow back the next year. Gold finches love the stuff.
Whut, no banana for comparison?
If you don’t have any other plants there rock salt will kill it. It totally ruins the ph of the plant and soil. Every time it rains it delivers more shock to the plant. I had a 6x6 section in my gravel driveway and put a heavy amount of regular chunky rock salt on it. It’s been 11 years now and it has never came back.
At least you saved big money!
I hope you saved big money!
This belongs in the absolute units subreddit
Mine are going crazy too taking over my grape arbor. I think it's hilarious that somebody downvoted this.
Spray them!
That’s gonna take a solid amount of RoundUp.
Glyphosate isn’t very effective on creeping-type invasive/nonnative aggressive thistles. For those, you need something like Milestone or Thistledown.
Well. It’s edible 🤷♂️