Cirsium vulgare
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SIR-see-um vul-GAIR-ee
- Description
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Bull Thistle is a biennial that forms a rosette of leaves the first year and sends up a flowering stem the second year. It was introduced from Europe and has naturalized in most of North America. It can invade almost any type of disturbed areas and forms dense thickets that crowd out native plants. In pastures, it reduces forage potential due to its many spines. It is reported as invasive in several states.
It does attract bees and butterflies to its nectar.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cirsium
- Species:
- vulgare
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe to Siberia and Arabian Peninsula
- Wildlife Value:
- Members of the genus Cirsium support the following specialized bees: Melissodes (Heliomelissodes) desponsus, Osmia (Helicosmia) chalybea and Osmia (Helicosmia) texana.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Coarse
- Appendage:
- Prickles
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Description:
- Achenes with large tufts of white hair.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Dome
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Each flower head contains numerous disc florets. Each disk floret is long and tubular and becomes divided into 5 long thread-like lobes giving it a hair-like appearance. The 1.5-2 inch flowers are pinkish-purple and occur solitary or in groups of 2-3. The bracts are stiff and rigid and have yellow-tipped spines. Blooms mid to late summer
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Pinnatifid
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are up to 7" long and 2" across. The individual lobes narrow to a point and have spines. The upper leaves are unlobed. The leaf surface has white hairs and scattered small spines. There are spines at the base of the leaf and stem.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Stout green stems covered in dense white hairs
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Landscape:
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Specialized Bees
- Problems:
- Problem for Horses
- Spines/Thorns
- Weedy
