Common Crupina

Information

Crupina Vulgaris - Asteraceae Family - Annual

common_crupina_1_tile common_crupina_2_tile common_crupina_3_tile common_crupina_4_tile

Identification

Flowers: 1-5 per heads per branch. Flower heads are narrow, cylindrical, and pink or purple in color.
Seeds: Seeds are oblong with a ring of sharp bristles surrounding the broad end of the seed.
Leaves: Leaves alternate and are directly attached to the stems. They are deeply lobed and dissected with margins containing short spines.
Flowering Time: Common Crupina flowers in June and July.
Life cycle: Common Crupina is an annual forb that flowers and produces seeds during June and July. During the summer, it can grow up to 3 feet tall before dying back in the fall and winter.

Impacts

Common Crupina readily invades areas of disturbed soil, easily displacing slower-growing native species.
While not toxic to livestock, the leaves and stems of Common Crupina are covered in small spiny hairs that make it unpalatable to grazing animals.
Common Crupina often invades hay and grass seed fields, decreasing the yield and value of the crop.

Most effective control methods

Mechanical control methods are very effective on small scale infestations and in sensitive areas such as home sites and near waterways. For best results, pull plants prior to spring flowering with continued attention throughout the growing season to prevent further spread.
Biological control such as grazing is not recommended due to Common Crupina’s unpalatable nature. There are currently no traditional biocontrol agents approved for use in the US.
Chemical control is effective against Common Crupina, primarily in its pre-flowering stage. For best control, herbicides such as 2,4-D Dicamba have been suggested by the USDA to effectively control Common Crupina.

Common crupina: flower

Common crupina: seedling

Common crupina: seed

Common crupina: infestation

Common crupina: flowers

Common crupina: infestation

Common crupina: seeds