It's a narrower thing altogether, preferring to seed itself in poorer, disturbed soil, where it looks as tough as its spines suggest.

Two years after the fire, sun tolerant plants grow in the disturbed soil.

This plant grows best in damp, recently disturbed soil.

These seeds can rapidly colonize disturbed soil such as that perturbed by fires, forest clearings, erosion, or abandoned agricultural land.

Its habitat includes moist areas such as mountain meadows and habitat with disturbed soil.