The spring and early-summer weather this year have fortunately graced the Nederland area with an abundance of green leaves and bright flowers. So, when taking a stroll through a field near Nederland, I was nonetheless annoyed to find a patch of wild Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans) sprouting among the grass. This class B noxious weed is a tall Asteraceae of the sunflower family and is most recognizable for its nodding purple flowers and prickly dark green leaves. The plant blooms in June through September and has one to several stems that branch above into flower bulbs.

First introduced to North America as a garden flower by European colonists, the thistle soon spread through fields and grassy landscapes across America. With the species being reported across almost all of the west, Musk Thistle is a large issue in Colorado, infesting 46,000 acres across the state. Being a highly competitive weed, it viciously takes over pastures and depletes the populations of much- needed grasses or other plants.

This weed spreads and germinates easily due to its ability to carry up to 20,000 seeds per plant. Though the seeds most often drop in the near vicinity of the plant, wind and water provide easy methods of dissemination and allow the weed to spread quickly.

Musk Thistle is most commonly an issue in pastures where it deters livestock away from grazing due to the spines on its leaves. Any gardener in Boulder County would certainly agree that Musk Thistle can be a prickly pain in the rear. It is all too famous for invading space in gardens and saps nutrients from other plants. If you see this plant, please eradicate it! In order to remove the weed yourself, sever the root below the ground with a shovel or hoe, and remove the entirety of the plant from the ground. Tilling the soil will most likely spread bits of the roots, which can inadvertently grow into more plants in subsequent years. Once you have removed the plant, bag and toss it in the garbage. Don’t compost Musk Thistle, as it can spread to further places.

Follow-up treatments are important. Musk Thistle is a biennial weed, so it may need to be removed for years to come before it is gone.

See the Nederland Noxious Weed Management Plan (http:// nederlandco.org/noxious-weeds/) for info on Nederland’s other noxious weeds.