Having lived in the Sun City my whole life, you'd figure that I'd learn not to walk across the part of my yard that is covered in weeds in flip flops.

Well, I've never learned and just yesterday, as I was putting the trash bins in, I got the bottom of my chanclas, and parts of my foot, covered in these prickly little stickers! just look at my nephews chanclas filled with them!

JB
JB
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My question to you is: what are they called?!

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Throughout the years, I've heard many different names- I, myself, call them "pica picas"! But I've also heard "toritos", "goatheads" and "stickers". But I don't know their actual name!

I don't know their name, but I sure do manage to call them every name in the book when I accidentally step on them- those bastards hurt way worse than when you step on a Lego!

I know that these are probably very common across the Borderland- and I know that many of you are also traumatized by these little pests! It wasn't until I came across this Reddit post where among the comments was this:

Tribulus terrestris is the name of the plant. Puncturevine is a common name for it, and their seed pods are what you are holding - goat heads.

Pre-emergent in bare areas, well-manicured grass or low-growing ground cover, and a weed burning torch (again for the bare areas) can help reduce and eliminate them from your yard, but the wind will blow them into your yard again anyway, so it's a constant struggle

Such a great explanation, but not really an answer, right? I guess we don't really need a full answer because we all call them so many different things. But I think we all agree on one thing: these bastards hurt!

WHOA:Gnarly El Paso Sights

 

 

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