Puncturevine is a real pain! South Salt Lake would like to eradicate this noxious weed from our community. But we need your help.
What is Puncturevine?
Puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris), also known as goathead, is categorized as a Class 3 noxious weed by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. It's an invasive plant that comes from parts of Europe and Asia that has been voraciously spreading across the Salt Lake Valley. Puncturevine has a deep, central taproot and grows into a mat-like ground cover that chokes out native plants. Puncturevine thrives in dry conditions and poor soil and spreads in unmaintained areas, like along road shoulders, sidewalks, trails, vacant lots, and unpaved parking sites. Stems of puncturevine can grow as long as 5 feet, and the seed capsules are hard and sharp, almost tack-like. They puncture bike tires, hurt puppy paws, and bare feet, and stick to the sole of shoes to propagate.
Ways You Can Help
Eradicating puncturevine requires a community effort. We need your help to tell us when you see puncturevine, to pull puncturevine you see in your own yard and neighborhood, to dispose of this plant properly, and to join our Goatbuster volunteer days to battle large infestations.
Downloadable PDF guide
How to Remove Puncturevine
- Pull It - Puncturevine can easily be pulled from the knob at the top of the taproot. Simply follow all of the stems back to where they meet, use your hand or a weed puller to grab hold of the point, and pull! The taproot should come up quite easily, especially if the ground is moist.
- Collect the Seeds - After pulling the puncturevine, it is helpful to gently sweep the area with a remnant of carpet or a piece of fabric to pick up any seed that may have dropped. Bag these seeds on the spot to avoid spreading them elsewhere!
- Dispose - Due to its noxious and invasive nature, please dispose of puncturevine and its seeds in the waste bin (not the compost bin).
