bull thistle |
Plants: Forbs/Herbs |
|
Magnoliopsida > Asterales > Asteraceae > Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten.
|
| Synonym(s): common thistle, spear thistle |
| Bull thistle is an annual or biennial, herbaceous plant that invades disturbed areas throughout the United States. The spiny, spreading, winged stems are up to 7 ft. (2.1 m) tall. Leaves are 3-12 in. (7.6-30.5 cm) long, lance-shaped and very hairy. Flowers develop, at the apex of the plant, from June to September. The purple flower heads are 1.5-2 in. (3.8-5.1 cm) in diameter and 1-2 in. (2.5-5.1 cm) long with narrow, spine-tipped bracts. Bull thistle can invade almost any type of disturbed area, such as forest clearcuts, riparian areas and pastures. Plants can form dense thickets, displacing other vegetation. The spiny nature of the plant renders it unpalatable to wildlife and livestock and reduces the forage potential of pastures. Bull thistle is native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. It is thought to have been introduced to the eastern United States during colonial times and the western United States in the late 1800s. It is currently found in all 50 states. |
| Image |
Descriptor |
Description |
Photographer |
| 0806080 |
Competition |
under dead fir killed by budworm. Swale Creek, Under dead fir killed by western spruce budworm (Choris¬toneura occidentalis); Swale Creek, Heppner Ranger District, Umatilla National Forest, northeastern Oregon |
Dave Powell |
| 5307008 |
Diagram or Graphic |
Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Vol. 3: 549. |
USDA PLANTS Database |
| 5161004 |
Feature(s) |
prickles |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 1459723 |
Feature(s) |
Spines |
Steve Dewey |
| 1551177 |
Feature(s) |
leaf apex |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1551179 |
Feature(s) |
seed head |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 5203092 |
Field |
along the edge of taller shrubs |
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5203090 |
Flower(s) |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5203091 |
Flower(s) |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5231001 |
Flower(s) |
|
Richard Old |
| 5162039 |
Flower(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161006 |
Flower(s) |
flowers |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161007 |
Flower(s) |
flowers |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5309097 |
Flower(s) |
|
Theodore Webster |
| 5309098 |
Flower(s) |
|
Theodore Webster |
| 5374391 |
Flower(s) |
|
Joseph M. DiTomaso |
| 5381092 |
Flower(s) |
|
David Cappaert |
| 5392056 |
Flower(s) |
Flowers |
John M. Randall |
| 5392060 |
Flower(s) |
Single flower |
John M. Randall |
| 5399239 |
Flower(s) |
|
Robert Vidéki |
| 5399240 |
Flower(s) |
|
Robert Vidéki |
| 5399241 |
Flower(s) |
|
Robert Vidéki |
| 1551181 |
Flower(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1459724 |
Flower(s) |
|
Steve Dewey |
| 1459726 |
Flower(s) |
|
Steve Dewey |
| 1542398 |
Flower(s) |
|
Joy Viola |
| 1542399 |
Flower(s) |
|
Joy Viola |
| 1542400 |
Flower(s) |
|
Joy Viola |
| 1542401 |
Flower(s) |
|
Joy Viola |
| 0024015 |
Flower(s) |
|
Eric Coombs |
| 1237086 |
Flower(s) |
|
Britt Slattery |
| 0580002 |
Flower(s) |
close up |
Loke T. Kok |
| 1358416 |
Flower(s) |
|
Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte |
| 1459721 |
Flower(s) |
|
Steve Dewey |
| 1553258 |
Flower(s) |
|
John Cardina |
| 1560017 |
Flower(s) |
|
John Cardina |
| 1560018 |
Flower(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1560019 |
Flower(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1560021 |
Flower(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1560028 |
Flower(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1560032 |
Flower(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 2119041 |
Flower(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 2119042 |
Flower(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 2119043 |
Flower(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 2119044 |
Flower(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 2119045 |
Flower(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 4322033 |
Flower(s) |
|
Kenneth M. Gale |
| 5160013 |
Flower(s) |
flower |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160015 |
Flower(s) |
flower with bee |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160017 |
Flower(s) |
flower with bee |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160035 |
Flower(s) |
flower |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 1560029 |
Foliage |
|
John Cardina |
| 1560024 |
Foliage |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1560025 |
Foliage |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1560026 |
Foliage |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1560027 |
Foliage |
close-up of leaves in basal rosette |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1560022 |
Foliage |
basal rosette |
Theodore Webster |
| 1553259 |
Foliage |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1553256 |
Foliage |
basal rosette |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1553257 |
Foliage |
|
John Cardina |
| 1459722 |
Foliage |
|
Steve Dewey |
| 1237114 |
Foliage |
|
Dan Tenaglia |
| 1196054 |
Foliage |
Basal rosette |
Michael Shephard |
| 1196097 |
Foliage |
Basal rosette |
Michael Shephard |
| 1459725 |
Foliage |
|
Steve Dewey |
| 1553254 |
Foliage |
|
John Cardina |
| 1551178 |
Foliage |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 5374392 |
Foliage |
rosette |
Joseph M. DiTomaso |
| 5203094 |
Foliage |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5358661 |
Foliage |
Close-up view of a leaf characteristic of bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare). |
L.L. Berry |
| 5366125 |
Foliage |
young rosette |
K. George Beck & James Sebastian |
| 5231002 |
Foliage |
|
Richard Old |
| 5231003 |
Foliage |
|
Richard Old |
| 5161005 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5307009 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Steve Hurst |
| 5376372 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Julia Scher |
| 1553255 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Ken Chamberlain |
| 5160016 |
Fruit(s) |
seeds |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 1551180 |
Infestation |
|
Daniel Herms |
| 1459752 |
Infestation |
In pasture |
Steve Dewey |
| 0024016 |
Infestation |
|
Eric Coombs |
| 5374389 |
Infestation |
in flower |
Joseph M. DiTomaso |
| 5392058 |
Infestation |
Many prickly plants |
John M. Randall |
| 5395931 |
Plant(s) |
foliage |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5374390 |
Plant(s) |
in flower |
Joseph M. DiTomaso |
| 5203095 |
Plant(s) |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5392057 |
Plant(s) |
White-flowered variant |
John M. Randall |
| 5391603 |
Plant(s) |
|
Barry Rice |
| 5392055 |
Plant(s) |
Weed in the mountains |
John M. Randall |
| 5161083 |
Plant(s) |
with frost |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161084 |
Plant(s) |
with frost |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5231004 |
Plant(s) |
|
Richard Old |
| 5203093 |
Plant(s) |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 0580001 |
Plant(s) |
|
Loke T. Kok |
| 1196004 |
Plant(s) |
|
UAF Cooperative Extension Archive |
| 1196211 |
Plant(s) |
|
UAF Cooperative Extension Archive |
| 1211064 |
Plant(s) |
large mature plant on timber harvest area |
Dave Powell |
| 1237113 |
Plant(s) |
stem |
Dan Tenaglia |
| 1358417 |
Plant(s) |
|
Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte |
| 1459750 |
Plant(s) |
|
Steve Dewey |
| 1459751 |
Plant(s) |
in flower |
Steve Dewey |
| 5160014 |
Plant(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160045 |
Plant(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5160034 |
Plant(s) |
habit and flowers |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5138095 |
Plant(s) |
|
Lynn Sosnoskie |
| 5138096 |
Plant(s) |
|
Lynn Sosnoskie |
| 5138097 |
Plant(s) |
|
Lynn Sosnoskie |
| 5160012 |
Plant(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 2119046 |
Plant(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 1560023 |
Plant(s) |
in flower |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1560031 |
Plant(s) |
with immature flowers |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1560033 |
Plant(s) |
apex of plant |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1560034 |
Plant(s) |
in flower |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 5162041 |
Seed(s) |
seeds |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5203089 |
Seed(s) |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5310002 |
Seed(s) |
|
Ken Chamberlain |
| 5392059 |
Seed(s) |
Gone by thistles |
John M. Randall |
| 1553260 |
Seedling(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1459753 |
Seedling(s) |
|
Utah State University Archive |
