CB Gets a New Plant Species

Well Crumby, you should have known this would happen. Those finches were bound to drop seeds everywhere. Messy eaters.

Not necessarily Rayetta. They could have treated the seeds. Agricultural scientists can do that you know. Treat the seeds so they are still goldfinch edible, but can't germinate when dropped.

Sadly, what my sister and bosom brother are discussing is the new plant on the list at the CB. Turns out those "nyjer" seeds that come with those cute nyjer socks that we feed to the growing armies of goldfinches grow up to be prickly thistles with yellow flowers. So far we have found four plants fixing to flower.

Sadly, we are pretty sure safflower (Carthamus tinctoria) is a non-native respecting these parts. Thus, we may be obliged to sacrifice the newest addition to our flora to the WG. Which is confusing because we are feeding the expensive store bought seed to the birds. Why not grow free plants and let the birds have that seed? Confusing, eh!