Evil Weeds
By Devon Higginbotham, Suncoast Native Plant Society (originally published in the Plant City Observer ) Spanish Needles is NOT a weed. It is native, a great pollinator plant and edible! “Is that a weed?” That’s my sister, Candi. She lives in one of those golf communities where the maintenance crews mow and primp everyone’s yard as well as all the common areas. I think they allow her a 3 square foot area to “garden”. “No, that’s a Spanish Needle. It’s a native plant that’s edible and the pollinators adore the flowers”, I replied, sounding a bit defensive. “Oh” she replied. She was trying to sound chipper but I knew what she really said was, “I’m not eating any weeds!” She’s my big sister which should explain everything. Her house and yard are always spotless and manicured, whereas my yard is 15 acres in the middle of nowhere. Anywhere farther than 10 minutes from the nearest grocery store was nowhere to her. Even her dog smells good, whereas, mine smells li