Can a Plant be Evil?

The question is redundant in my view… this plant is most definitely evil. It’s called a sandbur, but my name for it is the Velcro Weed. It sticks to everything, just like Velcro does. It can’t be killed, and the stickers (seed pods) hurt like a son-of-a-gun whether on the foot, finger, pants leg, shirt, regardless. I don’t dare walk in my yard in anything but my thick rubber work boots. Heaven forbid a person should wear sandals in 100+ degree weather and wish to look at the flowers.

I’ve been digging this beast up ever since moving into my house three and a half years ago. I don’t use sprays or poisons of any kind, so that could be part of my problem in trying to eradicate it. My main concern is to keep it in the south side of the yard and I’m almost crazy when I see a stalk of stickers in a new place. As I’ve read, the wind (which we have in abundance) and critters (also in abundance) can easily spread it, as can the grooves in the bottom of my boots (which I check before walking in another section of yard). So, this lets you know what my least favorite garden “hobby” is! ~SueBee