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Asteraceae
Cirsium

not marked as a favorite taxon Cirsium discolor (Muhlenberg ex Willdenow) Sprengel. Common name: Field Thistle. Phenology: Aug-Nov. Habitat: Pastures, woodlands, thickets. Distribution: QC west to MB, south to NC, MS, LA, and KS.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, F, FNA19, G, Il, K4, Mi, NE, NY, Oh3, Pa, POWO, S, SE1, Tn, Va, W; = Carduus discolor (Muhl. ex Willd.) Nutt. — RAB. Basionym: Cnicus discolor Muhl. ex Willd. 1803

Links to other floras: = Cirsium discolor - FNA19

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: UPL
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: UPL
  • Great Plains: FACU
  • Midwest: FACU
  • Northcentral & Northeast: UPL

Heliophily ⓘ: 8

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image #1 of Cirsium discolor© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Cirsium discolor© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image #4 of Cirsium discolor© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Cirsium discolor© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #6 of Cirsium discolor© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #7 of Cirsium discolor© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #8 of Cirsium discolor© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
image #9 of Cirsium discolor© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
image #10 of Cirsium discolor© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
image #11 of Cirsium discolor© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect biennial/perennial of pastures, floodplain forests, woodlands, clearings and thickets.

Stems: Stems strongly furrowed, branched near the top, usually hairy.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, short-petiolate to sessile, lance-shaped or oval, 4-10 in. long (reduced upward), deeply divided into sharp-tipped and variably sized lobes, with yellowish prickles on the margins and densely white-woolly beneath.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) 1-several at top of stem, subtended by small bract-like leaves; heads 1 1/2-2 in. wide, consisting of numerous purple to white tubular florets, each with 5 thread-like lobes. Tightly held green and white, spiny bracts surround the urn-shaped base of each head.

Fruits: Fruit a fluffy cluster of seeds, each with a tuft of white hairs.

Comments:

Height: 2-8 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect biennial/perennial of pastures, floodplain forests, woodlands, clearings and thickets.

stems: Stems strongly furrowed, branched near the top, usually hairy.

leaves: Leaves alternate, short-petiolate to sessile, lance-shaped or oval, 4-10 in. long (reduced upward), deeply divided into sharp-tipped and variably sized lobes, with yellowish prickles on the margins and densely white-woolly beneath.

inflorescence:

flowers: Composite flowers (heads) 1-several at top of stem, subtended by small bract-like leaves; heads 1 1/2-2 in. wide, consisting of numerous purple to white tubular florets, each with 5 thread-like lobes. Tightly held green and white, spiny bracts surround the urn-shaped base of each head.

fruits: Fruit a fluffy cluster of seeds, each with a tuft of white hairs.

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germination code:

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