Broken up from the previous entry so as to not make things too messy in the Stipa category.
Carduus out at KJ’s
Some critter snipped the stalk and laid some eggs, looks like.
This sad-looking Echinacea was out at NW of Landfill, along with other bent over and crummy-looking Carduus and others. The grasses and legumes around it looked pretty OK, so I’m wondering if perhaps these were hit by some herbicide overspray earlier in the season before the grasses grew up around it.
Alas, looks like 2,4-D, a herbicide that selectively kills dicots and doesn’t affect monocots. It may kill that Echinacea plant or might just mess up the infls this year.
It may have been directly sprayed on “weeds” in the ditch. Killing native plants is a great way to ensure future business for herbicide applicators. After the natives are wiped out the bad weeds come in.