Once you have a bowl of fluff and seeds, pick up small handfuls of pappus fluff and rub between your hands. If viewed from the side it looks a little like a green pineapple (to me). Photos by Matt Lavin, MSU. Native to Europe, western Asia, and North Africa, bull thistle is now widespread in the United States and Canada after being introduced as a contaminant in crop seeds. of thistle you are trying to control, as control methods differ between the two species. Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/forb/cirvul/all.html [2016, December 4]. Get notified when we have news, courses, or events of interest to you. By now, the plant may be browning and dry. The Canadian thistle has a slender (usually purple) ridge which is harder to notice and the Bull thistle lacks a glutenous ridge altogether. Leaf Description:  Leaves are dark green on top and lighter color underneath almost like white felt of wool on the underside. Do more research to make sure you are identifying your target species correctly and not harvesting a threatened species! Natives in Virginia typically do not have spines on the stem. Townsend, J. F. (2015, April) Rare Plants Natural Heritage Technical Report 15-10. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA. If not kept under control, thistle will quickly take over a landscape. Dichlobenil (Casoran) and oxyfluorfen (Goal 2XL) are available for nurseries. As mentioned earlier, they thrive in disturbed soils.) Stems . The pappus will bunch up as you rub and most of the seeds will fall out. Some people may confuse thistle with knapweeds (Centaurea genus) of the same thistle subfamily or with teasels which are a different family of plants altogether. Spiny-winged, hairy stems elongate during the second year, often branched up to 7 feet tall. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Rosettes up to 3 ft in diameter form the first year. Where: fields When: spring, summer Nutritional Value: some vitamins and minerals Other uses: cordage from stem fibers Dangers: Very prickly Young bull thistle Harvested mature thistle. Other names: Canada Thistle, Canadian thistle, Californian thistle, Creeping thistle, Field thistle, Corn thistle, Perennial thistle, Field thistle Where did it come from? His presence and purpose were clear. Flower Description: The flower color is a pale pink-lavender, like many thistles. 2015. Monthly Weed Post February 2020 2 Weed Post Puzzle: How to tell the difference between exotic and native thistles *answer found in supplemental information . Copyrighted data used with permission. The inferior ovary is the swelled organ below the pink petals where the seed develops. Canada thistle is a native to Eurasia and arrived on our continent probably before the Revolutionary War — most likely mixed in agricultural seed. You want to peel away the stem's outer red-green layer. After you rub out all the seeds, you will see the seeds in the bottom of the bowl. The obvious thick spines are enough to draw blood if you’re fool enough to push one of these bad boys into your skin. The leaves are narrow and deeply incised, with spines on the end of each leaf lobe. Some species in particular are cultivated in gardens and wildflower plantings for their aesthetic value and/or to support pollinators such as butterflies. Because control is not required in the county, it is on the list of Non-Regulated Noxious Weeds for King County. Bull thistle reproduces only from seeds which germinate in the spring. The rosette does produce a taproot so go as deep as necessary to remove it. And for goldfinch, well, it is one of their favorite foods. (When we first moved here, the place was overrun with thistles. It forms occasional side stems, but remains erect in stature, reaching 3-6' in height. During the first growing season, the plant forms a rosette. seeds rank #41 on our Super Seeds list. 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. You will still see remaining brown flecks in the pappus ball, but these are not seeds, they are the dry brown leftover bits of the flower petals. The white pappus “parachute”or “hair”, is about ¾ inch long (20+ mm). Leaves are 3 to 12 inches long, deeply lobed with coarse prickly hairs on the top and woolly hairs underneath. Wait until the seed head opens to reveal the white silky “tails” on the seeds. In this episode of the Northwest Forager we'll head out to the farm to forage flowers of the Bull Thistle aka Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare). fields, burned areas, and logged areas. In: Fire Effects Information System, Online]. Field thistle has leaves white underneath. Cirsium vulgare. Thistle was once a revered plant and flower. It can grow up to 7 ft in height, but 2 to 6 ft is more common. Partially-peeled stem. Field thistle is uncommon in the Ozarks but scattered to common elsewhere in the state. Leaves are variable: best determined by clusters of smaller flowers and creeping root system (versus tap roots in natives). Knapweed seeds are also eaten by birds. Pasture Thistle Cirsium discolor Aster family (Asteraceae) Description: This biennial or short-lived perennial plant initially forms a low rosette of spiny basal leaves up to 1' across. Bull thistle has leaves green on both sides. If so, be aware that there are some species near you that may be threatened or endangered. Newly emerged leaves are egg-shaped and have spines along the edge. Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/forb/cirvul/all.html [2016, December 4]. (Unpublished Report) Richmond, Virginia: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage. Flowers and fruit. Cloud, MN. Habitat: Perennial sow-thistle occurs throughout Ontario in cultivated fields, pastures, meadows, woodland, waste places, roadsides, gardens and occasionally in lawns. Zouhar, Kris 2001. Life was at stake. After dry, to clean the seed out of the flower head, hold the flower head (now brown, dried sepals) in one rubber-gloved hand (to avoid the prickles)and pinch the fluffy pappus (white feathery silky fluff)  with your other hand and pull it straight out  and place it in a large bowl. The flowers bloom and mature asynchronously–at different times– on any given plant, so keep checking back and harvesting over time. Native thistle provide important habitat and food sources for native fauna. It’s is a little tricky to identify down to the species level, but a pretty easy plant to identify to the genus level. Bull thistle overwinters in this stage. Many insects feed on the leaves, stems, flowers and seeds, while some songbirds also feed on thistle seeds. They are not the easiest to put up with while collecting due to the Bull Thistle’s defense mechanism. The foliage of bull thistle has stiff hairs on top and a woolly appearance on the bottom; while Canada thistle is smooth on top and either smooth or hairy on the underside. If you pull out the pappus and there is no seed attached, then you can break the flower head in half after removing all the fluff and see if you can scrape out the seed that might still be lodged in the ovary. Retrieved: readers supply the date, from http://wildfoods4wildlife.com. Blooms June-Oct Typically in woods, less common in fields. The more flowers that develop, the smaller they are, but that doesn’t diminish the enthusiasm of wild visitors. Identification •Many species start as a basal rosette in fall Some of the non-native species certainly are noxious, invasive weeds that we do not want to spread. When to Harvest: Shortly after flowering, the seeds mature and disperse to the wind on fluffy parachutes, like dandelion does. Do you live in one of these Virginia counties? 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. Many folks can recognize the spiny thistle plants of summer field and roadside. Common in overgrazed pastures where it may form … You have to really love your rehabber to collect thistle seed. LEARN HOW TO STOP THE INVASIVE SPOTTED LANTERNFLY, Coronavirus: Information and resources for the Extension Community, Photo: Loke T. Kok, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bugwood.org, bull thistle, Cirsium vulgare. View our privacy policy. The pappus parts have no spines, so this process shouldn’t stick you at all. (1951). Most or all of the leaves of field thistle are deeply lobed. Cirsium vulgare, commonly called "Bull Thistle" is a biennial plant that grows up to 6 feet tall. Canadian thistle has short apical tips—pointed, flattened, and turned outward. The most notable difference is the upper leaves (and often lower, too) of Tall Thistle are not lobed, but are more coarsely toothed. Bull, musk, plumeless, and Scotch thistle (left to right). Martin, A.C., Zim, H.S., Nelson, A.L. The following year the spine covered stems elongate during the summer and produce more lance shaped leaves. Lobes on leaves are tipped with stout spines. USDA, NRCS. They can grow anywhere from 7.5 to 30 cm long. Songbird Diet Index. Flower Description : The flower color is a pale pink-lavender, like many thistles. Entering your postal code will help us provide news or event updates for your area. The root of bull thistle is edible cooked. The topmost leaves of the stem also curl upward and hug the ovary. Bull thistle is usually a biennial, but sometimes an annual or monocarpic perennial. American Wildlife and Plants: A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits. Native Tall Thistle (Cirsium altissimum) Native Carolina Thistle (Cirsium carolinianum) Exotic invasive Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense) Perennial. Seed/ Fruit Size:  The cleaned seed itself (no pappus) is about 3/16 inch wide (2 mm) and 13/32 inch long (4 mm) and reminds me of a banana pepper in shape. and Carduus spp. Wildflowers Of WisconsinWild… This doesn't prevent bull thistle seeds from blowing in from other areas--individual plants can be dug out of landscape beds. (Accessed January 2016). Solutions are posted to the . By entering your email, you consent to receive communications from Penn State Extension. Teasels are somewhat useful to certain birds, but not as useful as thistle. 2002. Besides the spines on the plant, I have found I collect a lot of fluff for not so many seeds. Cirsium discolor, the field thistle, is a North American species of plants in the thistle tribe, within the sunflower family.It is native to thirty-three states in the United States as well four Canadian provinces. Cirsium arvense. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 4 January 2016). The nectar and pollen of native thistles are incredibly valuable food sources to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. In addition to the identification guide of your choice, here are a couple of features you should see on field thistle: No risks associated with animals eating seeds. On smaller plants, the whole stem and branches are spiny-winged. The root is rich in inulin, a starch that cannot be digested by humans. Bull thistles (Cirsium vulgare) are exactly that – bullish. Citation: Guenther, K. (2017, January 12) Field thistle as wildlife food [Web log post.] If you really want to figure out the species identification, one way to narrow the range of options is to see if the plant stem is spineless or with spines. Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle, common thistle, or spear thistle) is listed as a noxious weed in nine US states. bull thistle . Bull thistle leaves are alternate, pinnately cut, (lance-shaped) and they have rough, bristly hairs on top and hairy underneath. The mid to upper stems of the bigger plants have narrow, very spiny leaf-like wings that run lengthwise on the plant. Musk thistle is similar in growth habit and appearance to Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare), however bull thistle has many hairs on the upper surface of the leaf blades unlike musk thistle which mostly lacks hairs. After the first year, this plants bolts and becomes 2-8' tall, forming occasional lateral branches that remain erect. The field thistle, #2 has thin out-turned needle-like … Bull thistle rosette (left). The leaves of a bull thistle are large, woody and are flatted and basal rosette during their firs… Perennial sow-thistle is a perennial weed reproducing by seed and by buds on underground roots. Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora (http://www.vaplantatlas.org). This thistle plant I’m testing is a bull thistle, and the spines are huge and rigid. If you find a stand of thistle in bloom, come back each day for a week and harvest the mature flower heads as they open. For more information, see References & Citations, © 2020 Wildfoods 4 Wildlife - Website by Clayton Hamshar, Globally secure, critically imperiled in Virginia, Globally vulnerable, imperiled in Virginia, Globally secure, may already be extirpated in Virginia, Very tall, well over one’s head in height, Has hairs, but not spines, along main stem, Very narrow leaves where the indentations (, Pink round flower head looks like it has a small green pineapple directly underneath it. Comparatively, Canada thistle is a perennial that reproduces through underground rhizomes and wind-blown seeds. See All Pest, Disease and Weed Identification, See All Beer, Hard Cider, and Distilled Spirits, See All Community Planning and Engagement, Common Pokeweed Identification and Management. Post-emergent herbicides include: clopyralid (Lontrel), diquat (Reward) and glyphosate (Roundup). Bull thistle can reach a height of 3 feet. National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, St. Bull thistle reproduces only from seeds which germinate in the spring. It can be dried and stored for later use. The risk of spreading non-native seeds into the larger ecosystem can be reduced if you clean the collected seed of its pappus “parachute” hairs. Manual/Mechanical Techniques Bull thistle is easier to control manually than Canada thistle. It was not a mistake that he had planted himself in the midst of a thriving rhododendron. Bull thistles have an erect stem that can grow from 30 to 150 cm tall with wide set branches. Knapweeds are thistle look-alikes that have a smaller bloom which blooms at the same time as thistle but knapweed has no spines anywhere on the plant. Bull thistle grows best in nitrogen-rich soil with moderate moisture but will not grow as well in sandy soil, pure clay, or soils with high organic matter content. New York: Dover Publications. A rather bland flavor, the root is best used mixed with other vegetables. Given the opportunity, a bull thistle can grow to 5 feet tall, and send out multiple flower stalks. The leaves that follow are longer with pronounced spiny lobes. The Bull Thistle can take over a field in a few short years. Bull thistle is a Class C Noxious Weed in Washington, first listed in 1988. Remember to always read the label for proper application sites and rates. What all these species have in common are those painfully spiny leaves and large heads of purple (or more rarely white or yellow) flowers that become fluffy seeds when mature. Field Thistle most closely resembles Tall Thistle (Cirsium altissimum), which also has soft needle-like spines on the floral bracts, hairy stems and white on the underside of leaves. Italian thistle Yellow starthistle Bull thistle (Blessed) milkthistle Scotch thistle Tocalote (Malta starthistle) Canada thistle All of these species are found at least one of Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, or Tulare Counties. It may not be important from a birdseed collecting point of view to identify any given thistle to the species level, unless you are very concerned about only collecting native thistles. Scott, M. (2013). Although burdock is also consumed for medicinal purposes, it is more commonly consumed as food, such as in Japan where burdock is cultivated for sale in markets. The hollow stem. Wear thick gloves. I often see one large flower; sometimes up to three (but once there were twenty on a single plant!). Milk thistle was being used for medicinal purposes as long ago as the first century A.D. PLANTS Profile - Cirsium discolor, Field Thistle Both Circium spp. Hopefully you will see the seed pull out with the pappus. Why do we need this? During the first growing season, the plant forms a rosette. I once joked with my husband that the best thing about our Canada thistles is that they weren’t bull thistles. The foliage of bull thistle has stiff hairs on top and a woolly appearance on the bottom; while Canada thistle is smooth on top and either smooth or hairy on the underside. A bad weed of crop fields and rangeland farther north, it causes problems in Missouri, too. For more information, see Noxious Weed Lists and Laws or visit the website of the Washington State Noxious Weed Contr… When encountered in turf, bull thistle can be managed through regular mowing which prevents the plant from developing flowers. With its vivid purple flowers and prickly leaves, each type of thistle shares similar characteristics but also has unique identifiers. Field thistle is very similar to tall thistle (C. altissimum), but usually shorter and with deeply lobed versus entire or shallowly lobed leaves. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Tall thistle is closely related to field thistle (C. discolor), and the two can hybridize where they grow near each other. Zouhar, Kris. The exact means of introduction are largely unknown, but it is speculated that they were brought over in farm seeds. Nowadays, it's considered an invasive weed. Red to purple, usually solitary flower heads consisting of only disk flowers are 1 to 2 inches wide and encircled by spine-tipped bracts. But this native species—field thistle— really stands out as a very tall species, and towers over my head at about 8 feet. In Virginia, there are many native thistle species, but as often is the case, the relative likelihood of encountering a non-native species is high. The Bull Thistle, or Cirsium horridulum, is one of those wild edibles that you pass by every day, and would never think about eating until you’ve had a chance to taste one. Coarse hairs on the upper leaf surface of bull thistle (right). Most invasive thistles came from Europe in the 1600s. Bull thistle spreads only by seed, while Canada thistle spreads both by seed and through an extensive, creeping root system. Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a biennial that true to its name, has notable spines. Public and private landowners are not required to control infestations of bull thistle that occur on their property in King County. Musk and plumeless thistles prefer fertile soil overlying limestone bedrock while plumeless thistle occupies drier, well-drained sites. As the stem gets thicker, the wings start drying and disappearing. Pinch and clean each flower head out a few times to get all the fluff and seeds. But this native species—field thistle— really stands out as a very tall species, and towers over my head at about 8 feet. Cut or break off the mature flower head and place in a brown paper sack.  Store inside so the flower heads will dry from any moisture and continue to ripen for a couple of more days or a week. 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