Puncturevine - Goathead - Texas Sandbur

If you have ever stepped on a Puncturevine seed, you will never forget it! Each spiny bur or seed pod from the Puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris), also called the Texas sandbur, Goathead, or Jamaica feverplant (Tribulus cistoides and Kallstroemia spp.), contains 20 seeds equipped with long sharp spines capable of puncturing a tire or going through a boot. It takes only 3 weeks for this weed to sprout and make seeds! To make things worse, the seeds are some of the hardiest in nature – they may lay in the ground dormant for up to 20 years until just the right conditions come along for them to grow. Any established Puncturevine will continue to grow and spread until frost comes along – unless you stop it.

It is thought that this noxious weed came into the Midwest from Europe when some seeds hitched a ride on some imported sheep. The plant was reported in California by 1903. Biological control by Puncturevine's native natural enemies was approved for import from Europe in the 1960's. It has largely been successful, but if harsh winters occur, the overwintering weevil population does not survive and must be reintroduced to control the surviving plants.

There are two methods of control: eradication by herbicides (See Nature's Avenger, Matratec) and biological control with Puncturevine Weevils (Microlarinus lareynii and Microlarinus lypriformis).