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Asteraceae
Cirsium

not marked as a favorite taxon Cirsium horridulum Michaux var. horridulum. Common name: Common Yellow Thistle, Bull Thistle. Phenology: Late Mar-early Jun. Habitat: Roadsides, woodlands, pine savannas. Distribution: ME south to FL, west to TX, mostly on the Coastal Plain and adjacent provinces; also Mexico and Bahamas.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, FNA19, K4, NE, NY, Pa, SE1, Va; = Carduus spinosissimus Walter — RAB; = Cirsium horridulum Michx. — Bah, S; < Cirsium horridulum Michx. — F, Fl7, G, Mex, NcTx, POWO, Tat, Tn, WH3; < Cirsium horridulum Michx. — GW2; > Cirsium horridulum Michx. var. elliottii Torr. & A.Gray; Cirsium horridulum Michx. Basionym: Cirsium horridulum Michx. 1803

Links to other floras: = Cirsium horridulum var. horridulum - FNA19

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Great Plains: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Midwest: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 8

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image #1 of Cirsium horridulum var. horridulum© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Cirsium horridulum var. horridulum© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image #4 of Cirsium horridulum var. horridulum© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
image #6 of Cirsium horridulum var. horridulum© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #7 of Cirsium horridulum var. horridulum© Alan Weakley source
image #8 of Cirsium horridulum var. horridulum© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #11 of Cirsium horridulum var. horridulum© Alan Weakley source

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect, coarse biennial/short-lived perennial of roadsides, woodlands, sandy clearings and pine savannas.

Stems: Stems simple or with short, stout branches, and smooth to very hairy.

Leaves: Leaves basal and alternate on the stem, oblong-lance-shaped to elliptic, to 16 in. long (smaller and clasping upward), deeply lobed and toothed, hairy on both surfaces, with spines to 1 in. long.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Compound flowers (heads) 1-10 at top of stem and subtended by several bract-like, sessile, spiny leaves; heads yellow to white or reddish-purple, to 3 1/2 in. tall, consisting of many disk flowers, each with 5 thread-like lobes; the urn-shaped base of each head is covered with tightly held, hairy-edged, green bracts.

Fruits:

Comments: An important larval host and nectar source for butterflies.

Height: 3-8 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect, coarse biennial/short-lived perennial of roadsides, woodlands, sandy clearings and pine savannas.

stems: Stems simple or with short, stout branches, and smooth to very hairy.

leaves: Leaves basal and alternate on the stem, oblong-lance-shaped to elliptic, to 16 in. long (smaller and clasping upward), deeply lobed and toothed, hairy on both surfaces, with spines to 1 in. long.

inflorescence:

flowers: Compound flowers (heads) 1-10 at top of stem and subtended by several bract-like, sessile, spiny leaves; heads yellow to white or reddish-purple, to 3 1/2 in. tall, consisting of many disk flowers, each with 5 thread-like lobes; the urn-shaped base of each head is covered with tightly held, hairy-edged, green bracts.

fruits:

comments: An important larval host and nectar source for butterflies.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:



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