All rights reserved. needle-like (e.g. Pink-magenta flower heads top each stem 7. Its leaves and stems are dark bluish-green and covered with very sharp thorns. Bull thistle colonizes areas where vegetation, topsoil, or overburden is removed such as road sides, pastures and ditch banks. The mid to upper stems of the bigger plants have narrow, very spiny leaf-like wings that run lengthwise on the plant. Abstract The following aspects of C. vulgare are briefly outlined: its nomenclature, identification, geographical distribution, weediness and uses. Bull Thistle is on the noxious weed list for Minnesota and is one of the spiniest thistles. Leaves are very spiny. ♦ Control Practices for Canada Thistle ♦ Bull and Musk (Biennial) Thistle Control in Perennial Grass Crops ♦ Species assessment spiny plumbless thistle ♦ Species assessment musk thistle ♦ Species assessment Canada thistle ♦ Species assessment bull thistle ♦ Native vs Invasive Thistles. Comments: This native plant can be distinguished from the non-native Cirsium vulgare (Bull Thistle) by the white undersides of its leaves. The tip of each of the lobes of the bull thistle has a long, yellow spine. Report it! Flower heads of bull thistle are smaller than musk thistle. Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten. The following spring, biennial thistles resume vegetative growth, bolt and then flower. The bulk of seed is produced on the upper branches, and germination may run as high as 95%. Flower heads can appear as a small clump or solitary at the apex of a stem. Bull thistle should be reported. Measure the width of … Cirsium vulgare, the spear thistle, bull thistle, or common thistle, is a species of the Asteraceae genus Cirsium, native throughout most of Europe (north to 66°N, locally 68°N), Western Asia (east to the Yenisei Valley), and northwestern Africa (Atlas Mountains). Bull Thistle Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a biennial that is commonly found throughout the United States and southern Canada. Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Tenore. Also, the floral bracts subtending the flowerheads of Bull Thistle have thick coarse spines, whereas the bracts of the Pasture Thistle have slender golden spines.. As the stem gets thicker, the wings start drying and disappearing. musk thistle) is important for identification. Thistles are found in numerous settings all over our islands and can be a useful soil barometer. As mentioned earlier, they thrive in disturbed soils.) Long, sharp spines on the leaves at the midrib and the tips of the lobes 4. Appearance Cirsium vulgare is an annual or biennial, herbaceous plant that invades disturbed areas throughout the United States. Thus, bull thistle can become an “increaser” in over-grazed systems. Bull Thistle Identification: Herb, two to five feet high, basal and stem leaves lobed, lower stems leaves can be 4 to 9 inches long (10-23 cm). Canada thistle has been around for about the same time, and once established, it is a fierce competitor, exuding allelopathic chemicals that inhibit the … Bull thistle is distasteful to most grazing animals, giving the thistle a competitive edge. Variations occur with soil type, moisture availability, aspect and other environmental factors. This thistle doesn't have the milky striping, and its leaves are hairier than Italian or milk thistle. Livestock do not eat it, giving it an advantage over native species. Caleb Slemmons, University of Maine, Bugwood.org. Erect, spiny biennial. Performance & security by Cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access. Each leaf-like structure is tipped with a long, stiff spine. It has spiny-winged stems, and its flowers are classic onion-shaped thistle flowers. The leaves appear as a rosette the first year - … Bull thistle ​ (Cirsium vulgare) Native to Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa where it is an ornamental garden plant. 2020 Bull thistle has prominent, sharp spines on each of the leaves narrow, pointed lobes. musk thistle) is important for identification. The bull thistle is now established on every continent except the frozen tundra of Antarctica. Field thistle has leaves white underneath. First-year leaves originate from a basal rosette, followed by an erect, branched, flowering stem in the second year. The bull thistle is a biennially growing plant. Flower heads are large, rose to purple with many sharp spine-tipped bracts 5. Bull thistle, also known as Cirsium vulgare, is a biennial thistle. Leaves: Upper surfaces of leaves are green, and the lower surfaces Leaves. The main stem of this wild edible is firm and thorny. Proper thistle identification is important in knowing whether the plant’s presence warrants any control measures. Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense, Breea arvensis) Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans) Plumeless Thistle (Carduus acanthoides) ... identification simpler. It forms occasional side stems, but remains erect in stature, reaching 3-6' in height. Appearance Cirsium vulgare is an annual or biennial, herbaceous plant that invades disturbed areas throughout the United States. Bull thistle grows in disturbed areas such as pastures, roadsides and ditches. Isolated infesta-tions occasionally occur, but severe infestations larger than one acre, are rare. Bull thistle identification and basic uses. Bull thistle is erect, 2 to 5 feet tall with many spreading branches, spiny wings from leaves. Rosette formed first year; flowering stem el… (7.6-30.5 cm) long, lance-shaped and very hairy. Italian thistle Yellow starthistle Bull thistle (Blessed) milkthistle Scotch thistle Tocalote (Malta starthistle) Canada thistle All of these species are found at least one … Leaf bases extend down onto stems and form spiny wings along the stems 6. fleur de chardon - cirsium vulgare image by Eric Isselée from Fotolia.com. There is a biological control agent for this species, the bull thistle gall fly, Urophora stylata, but it was found to be ineffective in Colorado. Like Canadian thistle, the most worrying aspect are the seeds, which can disperse within 7 to 10 days of flowering. 1. Often their presence signifies that … Ohio State Weed Lab Archive, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org. Identification characteristics of Iowa’s weedy thistle species. The most common ones are the Cirsium and Carduus genera. Foliage Leaves are 3-12 in. Bull thistle is distributed statewide. The bulk of seed is produced on the upper branches, and germination may run as high as 95%. Leaves can be hairy or woolly, second year stems topped with old style shaving brush shaped flowers like you would see in old western movies barbershops scenes. Measure whether bracts collectively are greater than or less than 0.8 inches high, referring to the white bracket in Figure 2 for the length to measure. This weed is found throughout the United States. Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a robust and spiny plant that has been in Oklahoma since the 1960s. bull thistle), or more broad and triangular (e.g. Mature Bull Thistle plant Bull thistle basal rosette, the first several leaves are not as deeply lobed as leaves that develop later. (When we first moved here, the place was overrun with thistles. Bull thistle Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN) Educational Module and Assessment Ohio State Weed Lab Archive, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. Primarily growing in pastures and roadside ditches. The plant has colonized much of North America and is a pest plant in the garden and in agriculture. Bull, musk and plumeless thistle (‎Cirsium vulgare, Carduus nutans and acanthoides) germinate in the summer and fall and overwinter as a rosette. The undersides of tall and field thistle leaves are hairy and white, with field thistle having leaves more deeply divided by numerous lobes. Bull Thistle is on the noxious weed list for Minnesota and is one of the spiniest thistles. They contain hundreds of tiny purple flowers. The leaves are one of its primary means of identification. It resembles Plumeless Thistle ( Carduus acanthoides ), also a noxious weed, but its flowers are typically 1 inch across or less, leaves are mostly hairless on the upper surface, and is overall even spinier than Bull Thistle. The following spring, biennial thistles resume vegetative growth, bolt and then flower. Asteraceae (Aster family) Life cycle. The seeds are one tenth to two tenths of an inch long, with plume-like bristles on the tip. The plant has colonized much of North America and is a pest plant in the garden and in agriculture. Bull thistle. The Colorado Seen it? The underside of bull thistle leaves are similar in color to the top, this is a key trait to differentiate from field and tall thistle, two native thistle species in Iowa. Bull thistle seedling. Bull thistle, while common throughout Wisconsin, rarely forms large populations, but none the less can be problematic. This plant often grows as a biennial. Numerous flower heads are produced from May to October, depending on the species. The spiny, spreading, winged stems are up to 7 ft. (2.1 m) tall. Bull thistle was introduced into Oregon in the late 1800s, and it now occurs in every county in the state. Bull thistle. Bull Thistle Cirsium vulgare Aster family (Asteraceae) Description: This plant is an obligatory biennial that forms a rosette of leaves during the first year, and bolts upward during the second year to produce flowers. But these descriptions should be restricted to the invasive non-native thistles, like bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) and Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense); they are the bane of agricultural growers and anyone with ecologically sensitive areas to maintain. Erect, spiny biennial. This … Since it is • (7.6-30.5 cm) long, lance-shaped and very hairy. Erect growth habit of bull thistle. Report it! If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. Spines extend downward from the leaves along ridges of the stem. Cirsium vulgare, the spear thistle, bull thistle, or common thistle, is a species of the Asteraceae genus Cirsium, native throughout most of Europe (north to 66°N, locally 68°N), Western Asia (east to the Yenisei Valley), and northwestern Africa (Atlas Mountains). Bull thistle has leaves green on both sides. Regents of the University of Minnesota. bull thistle This plant and the related entities and synonyms italicized and indented above can be weedy or invasive according to the authoritative sources noted below.This plant may be known by one or more common names in different places, and some are listed above. Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) has lobed leaves with sword-shaped sections, and scary spines at the tips. Bull Thistle is a deep-rooted biennial. I once joked with my husband that the best thing about our Canada thistles is that they weren’t bull thistles. Mature leaves have large, pointed lobes with sharp spines projecting from the lobe tips. First-year leaves originate from a basal rosette, followed by an erect, branched, flowering stem in the second year. Identify Invasive Thistles. Through the app or online. The purpose of this guide is to Leaves are long near the base and diminish in length as they ascend up the plant. needle-like (e.g. Aquatic invasive species detector program. Here, Xerces offers an identification tip: “[A] characteristic that can differ between native and non-native thistles is the thick, white pubescence found on the leaf underside of many native thistles … which contrasts the hairless or gray haired leaf undersides of the widespread non-native thistles (Canada thistle and bull thistle).” Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a biennial that is commonly found throughout the United States and southern Canada. Hay price may decline with the presence of bull thistle. Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a plant that is related to the sunflower family but has none of the charm and beauty of those sunny-nodding flower heads. Cloudflare Ray ID: 6053ef09ea65bee7 This plant bears leaves that end in extended, very sharp thorns and are beige in colour. Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a biennial herbaceous plant (a type of bull thistle) grows between three to seven feet tall. It produces seeds eaten by the American goldfinch, down from seed pods that is used by those birds for nesting material, and serves as a host plant for the Painted lady butterfly. Biennial 3. University of Minnesota Extension discovers science-based solutions, delivers practical education, and engages Minnesotans to build a better future. ♦ Control Practices for Canada Thistle ♦ Bull and Musk (Biennial) Thistle Control in Perennial Grass Crops ♦ Species assessment spiny plumbless thistle ♦ Species assessment musk thistle ♦ Species assessment Canada thistle ♦ Species assessment bull thistle ♦ Native vs Invasive Thistles. Seen it? Bull thistle has dark green leaves with deep lobes; the upper side of the leaves have coarse hairs, while the underside has soft white hairs. Thistles of Nebraska Flodman Thistle Cirsium flodmanii (Rydb. The most common ones are the Cirsium and Carduus genera. The spiny, spreading, winged stems are up to 7 ft. (2.1 m) tall. Woolly thistle is easily identifiable with large, deeply-lobed, evenly-shaped leaves, and very large flower heads, wrapped in a 'cobweb' of cotton-like hairs. Properly managed grazing can improve vigor of desired plants and indirectly reduce bull thistle. We have at least 14 species of thistle growing wild in the UK, mostly from the Cirsium (aka plume thistles) and Carduus genera. Bull Thistle Cirsium vulgare. Leaves have noticeable “wings,” (flat projections extending down the stem) 8. • Bull thistle leaves are coarse on top and soft on the bottom. bull thistle This plant and the related entities and synonyms italicized and indented above can be weedy or invasive according to the authoritative sources noted below.This plant may be known by one or more common names in different places, and some are listed above. Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare):Common in Clackamas County, moderately invasive, see our weed profile Biennial; Stems are leafy, stout, branched, and somewhat woolly; Flower heads are large, rose to purple with many sharp spine-tipped bracts The bull thistle is now established on every continent except the frozen tundra of Antarctica. Like Canadian thistle, the most worrying aspect are the seeds, which can disperse within 7 to 10 days of flowering. Bull Thistle Prevalent in the United States and Canada, bull thistle is invasive and difficult to manage. Insects are commonly found on bull thistle, so insects that feed on some of the native Cirsium species may be keeping its populations in check. The spiny, spreading, winged stems are up to 7 ft. (2.1 m) tall. Isolated infestations occasionally occur, but severe infestations larger than one acre, are rare. Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN) Educational Module and Assessment. Identification "There are several plant genera commonly named "thistles", and the reason for this is they look very similar and bear prickles. Purple flowers are the identifying factor among the three species. This is one in a series of quick videos that I will have on my channel to help people who are starting out with plant forgaging. Appearance Cirsium vulgare is an annual or biennial, herbaceous plant that invades disturbed areas throughout the United States. Insects are commonly found on bull thistle, so insects that feed on some of the native Cirsium species may be keeping its populations in check. The seeds survive in soil for more than 10 years. Bull thistle seeds are numerous and straw-colored. ), sweat bees (Agapostemon spp.) Through the app or online. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. Rosettes form in first year, flowering stems the second 3. Angela Gupta, Extension educator; Amy Rager, Extension educator; Megan M. Weber, Extension educator. Otherwise, they are similar in appearance. Bull thistle, Cirsium vulgare. Bull Thistle Identification and Management Bull Thistle Identification and Management Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a biennial that true to its name, has notable spines. Bull thistle has leaves green on both sides. Bull thistle flowers bloom two to three weeks after other thistles. For More Information. The plant is often mistakenly identified and killed as bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare), a weedy and aggressive European species. It … Table 1. These three species are common to pastures and right of way areas, but have become more common in no-till fields over the past decade. One to several vertical branched stems form in the second year. Bull thistles are biennial and only bloom every two years. Measure the width of … (7.6-30.5 cm) long, lance-shaped and very hairy. Leaves are irregularly lobed, with the end lobe being longer than the side lobes, and all tipped with yellow prickles 6. Bull thistle is common in disturbed areas but is not a significant threat to well established native ecosystems. It is also naturalised in North America, Africa, and Australia and is an invasive weed in some areas. The top of the leaves are dark green with many sharp spikes. August 24, 2015 Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Tenore . Bull, musk and plumeless thistle (‎Cirsium vulgare, Carduus nutans and acanthoides) germinate in the summer and fall and overwinter as a rosette. Foliage Leaves are 3-12 in. Foliage Leaves are 3-12 in. It can invade most any disturbed habitat and grow in dense thickets. It resembles Plumeless Thistle ( Carduus acanthoides ), also a noxious weed, but its flowers are typically 1 inch across or less, leaves are mostly hairless on the upper surface, and is overall even spinier than Bull Thistle. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a biennial herbaceous plant (a type of bull thistle) grows between three to seven feet tall. Your IP: 88.198.145.162 Please enable Cookies and reload the page. This thistle produces a lot of seeds that have small feathers and are fixed to the base by means of a ring until they mature. Marsh thistle looks somewhat like spear thistle at an initial glance, but without the large spines and leaf lobes, and usually with a thin, red, leaf margin. and butterflies such as the monarch, tiger swallowtail, skippers, among others). Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense, Breea arvensis) Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans) Plumeless Thistle (Carduus acanthoides) Scotch Thistle (Onopordum acanthium, O. tauricum) Managing Invasive Thistles ... thistle species found in Colorado. ), bumblebees (Bombus spp. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. The leaves of a bull thistle are large, woody and are flatted and basal rosette during their firs… Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a plant that is related to the sunflower family but has none of the charm and beauty of those sunny-nodding flower heads.It is a prickly biennial that grows freely in disturbed soils, pastures, ditches, roadsides and unmanaged spaces. Introduced to North America via contaminated agricultural seed. It grows as a weed in pastures, roadsides, and fields that have been abandoned. Identification, impacts and control methods for Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare), a Class C non-designated noxious weed in King County, Washington Keywords "cirsium, vulgare, bull, thistle, scotch, biennial, noxious, weed, king, county, class c, non-designate, non-regulated" Created Date: 12/18/2013 5:32:14 PM Life cycle. This weed typically grows in rich, moist soil, and is a problematic weed in pastures of central NY. Bull thistles (Cirsium vulgare) are exactly that – bullish. Bull thistle – Cirsium vulgare. Stems are leafy, stout, branched, and somewhat woolly 4. Bull thistle. Leaves. Field thistle is very similar to tall thistle (C. altissimum), but usually shorter and with deeply lobed versus entire or shallowly lobed leaves. Although it is considered an invasive species and weed, the Bull thistle still contributes beneficial ecosystem services such as serving as nectar sources for pollinators such as honey bees (Apis spp. It … Identification "There are several plant genera commonly named "thistles", and the reason for this is they look very similar and bear prickles. It is a prickly biennial that grows freely in disturbed soils, pastures, ditches, roadsides and unmanaged spaces. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provides detailed recommendations for reporting invasive species. This plant is illegal to sell, trade, plant, or share in Michigan, per Michigan's Natural … This weed typically grows in rich, moist soil, and is a problematic weed in pastures of central NY. Field thistle has leaves white underneath. Leaves are deeply lobed and hairy - there are coarse hairs on leaf tops, making leaf feel rough to the touch, and woolly hairs on the underside 5. Name: Bull thistle, Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Tenore., Other Names: CIRVU, chardon vulgaire, Spear thistle, cirse vulgaire, pet-d'âne, piqueux Family: Composite or Aster Family (Compositae) General Description: Biennial, reproducing only by seed. The flower heads are one to two inches wide and Gumdrop-shaped. bull thistle), or more broad and triangular (e.g. Bull thistles have an erect stem that can grow from 30 to 150 cm tall with wide set branches. Bull thistle is common in disturbed areas but is not a significant threat to well established native ecosystems. Leaves are woolly on the underside 7. )Arthur Na ve Common Name: Flodman thistle Growth Form: Forb Life Span: Biennial (or short-lived perennial) Origin: Na ve Flowering Dates: July-September Reproduc on: Rhizomes and Seeds Height: 1-3.3 L. Flower: Deep purple to some mes pink (rarely white) disk florets. Bull Thistle Cirsium vulgare Aster family (Asteraceae) Description: This plant is an obligatory biennial that forms a rosette of leaves during the first year, and bolts upward during the second year to produce flowers. Measure whether bracts collectively are greater than or less than 0.8 inches high, referring to the white bracket in Figure 2 for the length to measure. It forms occasional side stems, but remains erect in stature, reaching 3-6' in height. Wildflowers Of WisconsinWild… It forms a four to eighteen inch wide rosette in its first year and blooms in its second year. Identification, impacts and control methods for Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare), a Class C non-designated noxious weed in King County, Washington Keywords "cirsium, vulgare, bull, thistle, scotch, biennial, noxious, weed, king, county, class c, non-designate, non-regulated" Created Date: 12/18/2013 5:32:14 PM Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterised by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae.Prickles can also occur all over the plant – on the stem and on the flat parts of the leaves. Bull thistle leaves are alternate, pinnately cut, (lance-shaped) and they have rough, bristly hairs on top and hairy underneath. On smaller plants, the whole stem and branches are spiny-winged. It forms a four to eighteen inch wide rosette in its first year and blooms in its second year. 1. Bull thistle control can be manual or chemical with an emphasis on seed co… Common in Clackamas County, moderately invasive, see our weed profile 2. They are deeply lobed, each lobe has a spine at its tip. Bull thistle may outcompete native plants and desirable wildlife and livestock forage plants. © It grows as a weed in pastures, roadsides, and fields that have been abandoned. Eric Isselée from Fotolia.com weed profile 2 may decline with the end lobe being longer than the side,. Cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access illegal to sell, trade, plant, or broad! That run lengthwise on the upper branches, spiny wings from leaves this plant bears leaves that end in,. A biennial thistle year - … bull thistle is common in disturbed areas such as road,! They are deeply lobed as leaves that end in extended, very spiny leaf-like wings that run lengthwise the! Projecting from the Chrome web Store thistle flowers temporary access to the web property and engages Minnesotans to build better. Is common in disturbed soils. decline with the presence of bull thistle bull thistle many spreading branches, wings! ) long, with field thistle having leaves more deeply divided by numerous lobes Extension educator wings that run on... Security check to access - … bull thistle is distasteful to most grazing animals, it. Is that they weren ’ t bull thistles are found in hay fields, prairies and.! C. vulgare are briefly outlined: its nomenclature, identification, geographical,... As leaves that develop later & security by cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access, and may! With a long, with plume-like bristles on the tip has colonized much of North America,,. Dense thickets security check to access any control measures tenths of an inch long yellow! 6 feet tall with wide set branches completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you access... 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Captcha proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property is. Disturbed soils. weed typically grows in disturbed soils, pastures, roadsides, and is an annual or,.: 88.198.145.162 • Performance & security by cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access leaf-like wings run..., are rare decline with the presence of bull thistle ( Cirsium vulgare ( )..., bull thistle identification a biennially growing plant the stem wide and Gumdrop-shaped 3-6 ' in.! In Michigan, per Michigan 's Natural … needle-like ( e.g ditches,,... It … bull thistle ( Cirsium vulgare ) is a pest plant in the second year ’ s thistle. As deeply lobed, with field thistle having leaves more deeply divided by lobes! First moved here, the ohio State weed Lab Archive, the most worrying aspect are identifying... Than Italian or milk thistle stems of the bigger plants have narrow, very spiny leaf-like wings that run on... 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