It looks like safflower, Carthamus tinctorius.

Here is a link that might be useful: Carthamus tinctorius

Yes you can cross post. What you can't do is "delete". ;)

And I don't know what it is but it sure looks wicked.

You are absolutely right Carol23. Thanks! I did buy one bag of safflower over the winter for my feeder. The birds were bummed and picked at it unenthusiastically, while looking at me balefully, so I never got it again. Now I will let it flower after all. It's taking it's own sweet time though.

Thanks esh_ga for letting me know about the cross posting. I'm glad it's ok.

typo fix for post directly above. it's should be its: It's taking its own sweet time though.

It's taking its' own sweet time though.

As a matter of fact: "It's taking its own sweet time though."

carrieb: Is what you wrote the same as what I wrote at 10:27 (Sun June 7)? I was correcting my own typo. I don't think I'd correct someone else's grammar in these forums but I felt like I could say, "Oops, I made a typo." If your version and mine from 10:27 are different please let me know, in which case I will schedule that long overdue eye exam ;-) because I cannot see a difference. Thanks.

OP, it seems to me that Carrieb was reaffirming your correction to Purpleinopp.

Jeanne, seagreen - yes. I wouldn't normally correct someone else's grammar (unless I was asked to edit) but I thought that your grammar was being incorrectly corrected by someone else... My apologies for any lack of civility & courtesy on my part. My mom was an English teacher...