Buffalo-bur is one prickly hombre so if you what a plant that will provide challenges, it is perfect for a plant zoo. The stems are covered with long, sharp yellow prickles, the leaves have their share of the same prickles along the main veins, and the fruit is covered with spines. The bright yellow flowers and deeply lobed green leaves are reasonably attractive until fruit set when they die back, and the plant breaks off at the base and becomes a tumbleweed. Native to the Great Plains, the plant has spread to many areas of the US and is considered invasive and a noxious weed in many places. Other names for the plant include buffalo-bur nightshade, spiny nightshade, Colorado bur, Kansas thistle, bad woman, Mexican thistle, and Texas thistle.
Type: Annual
Height: 1-5′
BloomColor: Yellow
Bloom Time: Early spring to fall
Light: Full sun
Soil: Average, medium moist to dry, well-drained; tolerates alkaline conditions.
Hardiness: Not relevant
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Karen Meyers