Spiny Cocklebur
Xanthium spinosum
Washington State Classification
Class C — Widespread, County-Selected Control
Its spiny burrs can become tangled in the hide of cattle and horses and in the wool of sheep.
Quick Reference
Identification
Growth Habit
Spiny cocklebur is an upright, much branched annual that grows up to 4 feet high. Yellow, three parted spines, about 0.5 to 1 inch long, occur in leaf axils.
Leaves
The leaves are shiny dark green and hairy on the upper surface and downy beneath. The leaves are lance shaped and up to three inches long, many three-lobed with the center lobe much longer than the others.
Flowers
The flowers are small, inconspicuous, and creamy green. The male flowers are found at the top of the stems and the female flowers are formed lower on the stems.
Fruit & Seeds
The fruit is more or less an egg-shaped burr, up to one-half inch long, armed with numerous hooked spines, some with one or two straight terminal spines. There are two seeds per burr, flattened, three-eighths inch long and brown in color.
Impact
Its spiny burrs can become tangled in the hide of cattle and horses and in the wool of sheep. It can provide competition for summer crops and is a nuisance to pickers in hand-harvested crops. The seeds and cotyledonary seedlings are poisonous.
Ecology & Spread
Habitat
Spiny cocklebur is adapted to a variety of climates, hence its wide distribution. It is found in a wide variety of soil types growing in cultivated fields, wastelands, farm yards, flood plains and along waterways. Please click here to see a county level distribution map of spiny cocklebur in Washington.
Spread Mechanisms
Reproduction
Spiny cocklebur reproduces by seed. The seeds are well adapted for dispersal by livestock or people because of the hooked spines on the fruit.
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Control Methods
Mechanical
- On arable land, cultivation is effective against the seedlings. This should be repeated periodically for at least three years. Mowing or slashing is effective if done prior to burr formation.