Yellow Starthistle Centaurea solstitialis, is an annual flower with a fuzzy grayish-green stalk and yellow flowers protected by dangerous 1-2 inch spines. It’s a fast grower and you’ll often see it growing in impenetrable 3-6 foot hedge-like thickets. It has a taproot that can reach several feet long making it extremely drought tolerant. In addition to having painful spines and being highly competitive to native plants, Yellow Starthistle is harmful and toxic to livestock.
This is one mean weed. If you see its rosette don’t hesitate to pull it.
For more information and help with weed identification in Salt Lake County Visit the county’s Weed Control Program Page
Additional weed resources: Utah’s Weed Control Association
Utah State University Extension Weed Web
