Knapweed

This plant is considered a noxious weed. Doesn't "noxious" sound just so odious?
Anyway, here it is:

2007 August 12

Yes, that spindly purple plant there ...

2007 August 12

2007 August 12

2007 August 12
... the one with the pretty flowers is the culprit in question. There are some, however, that don't "get" the noxious part ...

2007 August 12
... for the nectar is tasty and plentiful. Oh yum.
Oh ... you want the NAME of the plant? Okay, this one is called "Spotted Knapweed" (Centaurea maculosa).

2008 August 24

2007 August 25
The Seed Pod full of seeds and one seed laying right on top, ready to escape!

This plant is a biennial or short lived perennial. It is an introduced species through contaminated seed (eg. with alfalfa seed) coming in from Eurasia. One plant can produce over 1000 seeds and these seeds are viable for 5-7 years. This plant releases a toxin that reduces the growth of good forage crops ... now you know ... the "noxious" part of the story.