At some point, Mary or I will write a detailed post about the Yellow Starthistle found on our property. Our state government has declared that this plant is “one of the most ecologically and economically damaging invasive plants in California” as it is “a serious nuisance on recreational lands, degrades the value of private property, range and timber lands, is toxic to horses and poses a major threat to biodiversity in native ecosystems.”
This is a dramatic statement, but as far as we can tell things aren’t too out of hand on our property. And, even though it is toxic to horses, turns out it’s only toxic if a horse eats a huge quantity (which happens, rarely, when a horse develops a taste for the plant, but luckily the plant is prickly enough that most horses are sufficiently deterred from eating large quantities).
So, the plant is present, and at some point we will likely take steps to reduce it’s foothold on the land. But for now it’s something we are aware of and watching.
