Spear Thistle: Beautiful And Useful But Invasive!

During a recent walk I came across this plant that I thought was really eye-catching! I found out that it is called Spear Thistle. It is an attractive nectar source for bees and butterflies. It is a food source for finches and according to what I've read, it can be consumed by humans. Even the stems can be used as a celery substitute if the spikes are removed (don't take my word for this, just what I read).

It is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa but considered an invasive weed in the United States because it outcompetes other native plants. It has a long tap root and a sharp spiny stem making them difficult to eradicate. It's too bad because I thought they would look good in the backyard but the negatives outweigh the positives.