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| While the sharp, hard spikes on the seeds hurt our feet and embed themselves in the lawnmower tires, this is their method of dispersal. |
Sand spurs
Six species of sand spurs or sandburs (Cenchrus spp.) are native to Florida. They are true grasses in the grass family, Poaceae. While native plants are highly recommended for sustainable, climate-wise landscapes, these are not desirable because of the hard and very sharp prickles that cover their seeds.
They have volunteered in our yard only out by the road where the other plants in our freedom lawn are a bit more sparse and where the neighborhood dog walkers visit on a regular basis. So even though I have cleared out this population of annual plants before, new ones can get a start out there when dogs bring more seeds from elsewhere.
