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Cirsium vulgare

Common Name: Bull Thistle
Cirsium vulgare
Cirsium vulgare

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Cirsium
Species: Cirsium vulgare

Conservation Status

Identifying Features

The flowers of bull thistle are 2" with a bright lavender tufts on scale-like bracts.

The leaves are slender, and some are toothed or lobed. The plants grow to 5’ in height.

Habitat & Range

Bull thistle grows in fields and on trial-sides. It is native to Europe, but grows in North America, South America, and Australia.

Life Cycle

The flowers bloom from June to September.

It is an herbaceous biennial.

Featured image by James Dake.

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