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DESCRIPTION:
Common cocklebur is a coarse, bushy summer annual that infests pastures and other moist areas.
Cocklebur is toxic to mammals, and its burs lower the value of wool. True leaves on seedlings are
notched on the margins and taper to the tip. Cotyledons are bright green, shiny on the upper surface,
pointed, and about 6 times longer than wide. The bur may remain attached to the base of the seedling,
helping to identify the weed when it is pulled. Mature plants have thick, highly branched, fleshy
stems with purple or black spots. Leaves are lobed, triangular, coarsely toothed, and are borne on
long stalks. The plant produces clusters of green male flowers at the top. Female flowers occur in
burs on short stalks where the leaf axils meet the stem. Each bur contains two flowers. Burs are
oval-shaped with a pair of beak-like hooks.
Broadleaf ID illustration.
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