The winter rains have brought a super bloom to the Sonoran Desert, with wildflowers shooting up in yards, parks and vacant lots.

But one species among the spring blooms poses a threat to native vegetation.

The small yellow globes look harmless, but the name — stinknet — suggests otherwise.

It’s an invasive weed from South Africa, and it can spread quickly: Just one of those little balls can produce up to 300 seeds.

Juanita Armstrong-Ullberg of with the Southwest Vegetation Management Association says the plant sets the stage by attacking the soil.

"So, this plant comes in, looks all pretty and innocent when it first comes in, people keep it around. Well what it’s doing in those first couple of years is sending these signals to kill the native and the natural fungi and bacteria that are in the soil, Armstrong-Ullberg said.

Once it removes those microbes it can take over and become a conduit for wildfire on desert landscapes.

The state added it to the noxious weed list in 2021.