Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

We don't think Mr. Smarty Plants has ever said that a plant is "okay" simply because it is native. You don't hear us promoting Toxicodendron radicans (Eastern poison ivy), do you? Even on native plants, we will always make statements in our webpages about invasiveness and poisonous problems. And we don't send out  secret agents to sprinkle native seeds in unsuspecting gardener's property, honest. Our recommendation is always to investigate any plant for its characteristics and growing conditions BEFORE it is planted in order to make a good decision on whether to include it in your plants or not. And we always recommend plants native to your specific area because there is a better assurance that they will prosper in the climate, rainfall and soils where they are planted. Obviously, you got no opportunity to make those decisions before the thistles arrived.

Here is a previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer on Native and Non-native Thistles from San Marcos TX, also in Hays County, which might help you at least identify what you have. It mentions the first native thistle we thought of, Cirsium ochrocentrum (Yellowspine thistle), see the fearsome illustration of it from our Image Gallery below. Native or not, we absolutely do not blame you for wanting to be rid of those plants, but therein lies the rub.

Mr. Smarty Plants has addressed this exact question before and, even though this previous answer is from Ohio, it tells you exactly what we would say again, and we are getting lazy. Easier for the same answer to be read twice than for us to type the same answer twice. We do warn you, this is not going to be easy, native or not, these plants take care of themselves.

Lesson learned for all gardeners from this: Never put off dealing with a plant that you don't want, get it out before it gets you out. No matter who planted it - wind, birds, aliens, even you - if it doesn't work where it is, it's out of there!