Life cycle
Summer annual
Growth habit
Erect, 2 to 4 ft. high, branching, leaves large, coarsely toothed, wavy margins, alternate; all parts have a strong, unpleasant odor and are poisonous
Reproduction
Seed pod the size of a walnut and covered with sharp spines; flowers large, funnel-shaped, lavender on purple-stemmed plants or white on green-stemmed plants
Conditions that favor growth
Primarily a weed of open fields or agronomic crops; found on all types of soil but prefers nutrient rich soils
Cultural control
Manual cultivation before flowering occurs and seeds form; maintain regular mowing in open areas to prevent flowering
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