Spear thistle is a member of the Asteraceae family and is commonly known as roadside thistle, bull thistle and plume thistle. The plant is native to Europe, Western Asia and North Africa, but is now naturalised and widespread throughout South Africa.
It is believed that spear thistle was introduced into South Africa for the first time during the Boer War (in the 1880s), probably with hay or fodder. It was first identified near Van Reenen in KwaZulu-Natal. The plant is prevalent in areas with cooler temperatures and high rainfall, but it is rare in the drier areas of South Africa. A spear thistle invasion is a significant threat to both agricultural and natural ecosystems: the plant is a competitor with grasses that are beneficial
