 
This invasive introduction from Europe is difficult to control all
over the Central Valley.
Here at Kaweah Oaks Preserve we try to keep the trails clear of it,
but spring rains bring
fast growth to this nasty invader.
A beetle was intoduced in the early '90s whose larva eats the seeds.
It has been quite successfull, along with plenty of manual labor,
we have cleared many trails of this most noxious weed.
 
Milk thistle grows to 5 to 7 feet tall by late spring. It can be controlled
if sprayed with a herbicide
in the young rosette stage (left). The evil star-shaped dried flowers
are common in wintertime.
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