General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Plant Height: 12 inches to 24 inches
Plant Spread: 12 inches to 24 inches
Leaves: Deciduous
Other: Prickly
Fruit: Edible to birds
Other: Seeds attractive to small finches
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Pink
Purple
White
Yellow
Other: Rose
Bloom Size: 1"-2"
Flower Time: Spring
Late spring or early summer
Summer
Underground structures: Rhizome
Wildlife Attractant: Butterflies
Resistances: Humidity tolerant

Image
Common names
  • Thistle

Photo Gallery
Location: My garden
Date: 2018-08-07
Location: My Yard
Date: 2018-08-28
#pollination
Location: central Illinois
Date: 9-20-11
Location: My garden in eastern Massachusetts
Date: 2017-07-18
  • Uploaded by LCL
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2014-04-27
Location: Central Texas
Date: 2016-05-14
Location: Whitesboro, NY (Utica area)
Date: 2023-08-03
another bee on thisle bloom
Location: central Illinois
Date: 8-13-12
Location: central Illinois
Date: 9-20-11
#pollination
Location: Central Texas
Date: 2016-05-14
Location:  Indiana  zone 5
Date: 2015-08-26
Location: Safe Harbor, Pennsylvania
Date: 2022-06-10
At least four pollinators are visible.
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2012-08-20
Clearwing Hummingbird Moth
Location: Kyle, Texas
Date: 2018-05-11
An undervalued plant that butterflies love
Location: Winder, Georgia
Date: 2019-08-18
Thistle Bud Opening 003
Location: Beautiful Tennessee, Cade's Cove, Smokey Mountains
Date: 2018-08-25
Location: Beautiful Tennessee, Cade's Cove, Smokey Mountains
Date: 2018-08-25
Location: My Yard
Date: 2015-06-23
Location: Whitesboro, NY (Utica area)
Date: 2023-08-03
closer view bee on thistle
Location: Safe Harbor, Pennsylvania
Date: 2022-06-10
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2012-09-15
Location: Winder, Georgia
Date: 2019-08-18
Thistle Bud With A Treehopper 001
Location: Nature reserve, Ghent, Belgium
Date: 2010-08-20
Location: Lake in the Hills, IL
Date: 2017-06-19
Taken on a hike through the preserve off of Pyott Road.
Location: Fairfax, Virginia (Outdoors)
Location: central Illinois -Sangchris Lake
Date: 3-25-12
Location: Gause, Texas
Date: 2020-05-06
1 of 4 huge clumps of wild thistles on 42 acres. Draw butterflies

Date: 2022-05-12
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2012-08-20

Date: 2019-07-07
Unknown, 2 meter tall plant
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2014-09-19
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-09-20
Location: Nosterfield Nature Reserve North Yorkshire
Date: 2018-08-09
Location: My garden
Date: 2020-07-22
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2014-04-21
Location: Fairfax, Virginia (Outdoors)
Location: Whitesboro, NY (Utica area)
Date: 2023-08-03
Bee on thisle
Location: Gause, Texas
Date: 2020-05-16
Largest clulmp of thistles on our 42 acre property Central TX
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-10-13
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2012-09-13
Location: central Illinois
Date: 9-2-12
Location: Nova Scotia
Date: 2018-08-23
Seen at the Fortress of Louisbourg
Comments:
  • Posted by KFredenburg (Black Hills, SD - Zone 5a) on Jun 22, 2020 4:27 PM concerning plant:
    The genus name Cirsium comes from the Greek word kirsos (which means "a swollen vein"), for which Thistles (kirsion), were a reputed remedy.

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