Cirsium repandum Michaux. Common name: Sandhill Thistle. Phenology: May-Jul. Habitat: Longleaf pine sandhills, other dry sandy habitats. Distribution: Se. VA south to e. GA, nearly endemic to the Carolinas. Similar in distribution to Vaccinium crassifolium, Carphephorus bellidifolius, and Baptisia cinerea, which are all locally abundant endemic indicators of Carolina pinelands.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, FNA19, G, K4, POWO, S, SE1, Va; = Carduus repandus (Michx.) Pers. — RAB
Links to other floras: = Cirsium repandum - FNA19
Heliophily ⓘ: 8
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect biennial of dry to very dry longleaf pinelands, sandhills and other dry sandy habitats.
Stems: Stem arises from a basal rosette in the second year and is simple or with a few branches near the top; covered with cobwebby hairs.
Leaves: Leaves basal (first year) and alternate on the stem, sessile, oblong-lance-shaped, 2 1/2-6 in. long, irregularly lobed and wavy margined, the divisions bearing spines, and very hairy on both surfaces.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) 1-5 at top of stem, about 1 1/2 in. wide, consisting of many bright purple to purple-pink tubular florets, each with 5 thread-like lobes. Tightly held, green bracts bearing short spines surround the urn-shaped base of each head.
Fruits: Fruit a fluffy cluster of seeds, each with a tuft of whitish hairs.
Comments: Essentially endemic to the Carolinas; barely reachiing into se VA and the Augusta region of GA.
Height: to 2 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect biennial of dry to very dry longleaf pinelands, sandhills and other dry sandy habitats.
stems: Stem arises from a basal rosette in the second year and is simple or with a few branches near the top; covered with cobwebby hairs.
leaves: Leaves basal (first year) and alternate on the stem, sessile, oblong-lance-shaped, 2 1/2-6 in. long, irregularly lobed and wavy margined, the divisions bearing spines, and very hairy on both surfaces.
inflorescence:
flowers: Composite flowers (heads) 1-5 at top of stem, about 1 1/2 in. wide, consisting of many bright purple to purple-pink tubular florets, each with 5 thread-like lobes. Tightly held, green bracts bearing short spines surround the urn-shaped base of each head.
fruits: Fruit a fluffy cluster of seeds, each with a tuft of whitish hairs.
comments: Essentially endemic to the Carolinas; barely reachiing into se VA and the Augusta region of GA.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: VA, NC, SC & GA