Spiny Thistle Cirsium horridulum
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SIR-see-um hor-id-YOO-lum
- Description
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Bull Thistle is a native herbaceous perennial that may grow 2 to 5 feet tall and is very spiny on all parts of the plant. It is often found along the edges of salt marshes, fields, shores, savannahs, roadsides, and waste places. It is also a pasture weed in the South. It grows best in sandy soil.
It is a high-value nectar plant for bees and butterflies and the birds eat the seeds.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- var. horridulum
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- var. horridulum
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cirsium
- Species:
- horridulum
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern U.S.A. to Honduras and Bahamas
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , CT , DE , FL , GA , LA , MA , MD , ME , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NV , NY , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA
- Wildlife Value:
- It is the host plant for the Little Metalmark (Calephelis virginiensis), which has three to five broods from March-October, and Painted Lady Butterflies (Vanessa cardui) which have one to three flights in the east from May-October and three to four flights in south Texas from October-April. Flowers are also attractive to hummingbirds and songbirds eat the seeds. Members of the genus Cirsium support the following specialized bees: Melissodes (Heliomelissodes) desponsus, Osmia (Helicosmia) chalybea and Osmia (Helicosmia) texana.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herb
- Native Plant
- Weed
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Gold/Yellow
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Dome
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 3 inch wide yellow and pink to purple disc flower heads atop multi-branched stems. Its spiny bracts may be purple or white. In the south, the blooms tend to be pinks to purples.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Pink
- Leaf Feel:
- Prickly
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Basal rosette of leaves can grow 8-24 inches long and are deeply incised and very spiny. The stem leaves are alternate and very spiny.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Hairy green stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
- Problems:
- Spines/Thorns
- Weedy
