Weed of the Week: Puncture Vine

Tribulus terrestris, also called puncture vine or goathead, is the bane of bicycle riders and dog walkers everywhere, producing sharp, 4-pointed seedheads that break off and puncture tires and paw pads. It thrives in sunny, barren areas such as roadsides and dirt trails, where it is perfectly positioned to cause havoc. It starts to germinate when the weather warms up in late May or June and can go from a seedling, to a flowering plant, to a plant full of goatheads in less than four weeks. The best way to control it is to recognize it when it is young, like this, and pull or spray it (2,4-D and glyphosate are both effective) before it can flower.