NameThatPlant.net: Cirsium arvense

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Campanulids: Asterales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Cirsium arvense FAMILY Asteraceae__ Go to FSUS key

Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.

Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.

Read more about Canada Thistle at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Cirsium arvense FAMILY Asteraceae__

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 179-25-013:

Carduus arvensis FAMILY Asteraceae__

COMMON NAME:
Canada Thistle, Field Thistle

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Cirsium arvense FAMILY Asteraceae__

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Cirsium arvense FAMILY Asteraceae__

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 179-25-013:
Carduus arvensis FAMILY Asteraceae__

256

Forb
Perennial

Habitat: Pastures, disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora

Non-native: Europe

Uncommon in NC Mountains, rare or waifs elsewhere in GA-NC-SC

CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

IS THE PLANT "ARMED"?
Leaf margins spiny

LEAVES:
Simple: Lobed, unlobed and/or dissected
Alternate

FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Disc: Purplish-pink
Rays: Absent
Inferior ovary
Bisexual

FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Achene

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!

If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".

Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".