Wildflowers Of WisconsinWild… Many folks can recognize the spiny thistle plants of summer field and roadside. 2015. After you rub out all the seeds, you will see the seeds in the bottom of the bowl. A bad weed of crop fields and rangeland farther north, it causes problems in Missouri, too. 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. Lobes on leaves are tipped with stout spines. Perennial sow-thistle is a perennial weed reproducing by seed and by buds on underground roots. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Partially-peeled stem. 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. 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. Get notified when we have news, courses, or events of interest to you. Bull thistle reproduces only from seeds which germinate in the spring. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. (Unpublished Report) Richmond, Virginia: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage. Given the opportunity, a bull thistle can grow to 5 feet tall, and send out multiple flower stalks. Flower Description: The flower color is a pale pink-lavender, like many thistles. 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]. 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. Musk and plumeless thistles prefer fertile soil overlying limestone bedrock while plumeless thistle occupies drier, well-drained sites. This plant is much different than Canada thistle. Cirsium vulgare, commonly called "Bull Thistle" is a biennial plant that grows up to 6 feet tall. Spiny-winged, hairy stems elongate during the second year, often branched up to 7 feet tall. There will not be as many as you hoped for. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. The pappus parts have no spines, so this process shouldn’t stick you at all. 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. 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. Many insects feed on the leaves, stems, flowers and seeds, while some songbirds also feed on thistle seeds. You want to peel away the stem's outer red-green layer. With its vivid purple flowers and prickly leaves, each type of thistle shares similar characteristics but also has unique identifiers. The field thistle, #2 has thin out-turned needle-like … The flowers bloom and mature asynchronously–at different times– on any given plant, so keep checking back and harvesting over time. Pasture thistle (C. pumilum), unlike field thistle, doesn’t produce very many flowers. The exact means of introduction are largely unknown, but it is speculated that they were brought over in farm seeds. Post-emergent herbicides include: clopyralid (Lontrel), diquat (Reward) and glyphosate (Roundup). Coarse hairs on the upper leaf surface of bull thistle (right). Field thistle is very similar to tall thistle (C. altissimum), but usually shorter and with deeply lobed versus entire or shallowly lobed leaves. Leaves are 3 to 12 inches long, deeply lobed with coarse prickly hairs on the top and woolly hairs underneath. Do more research to make sure you are identifying your target species correctly and not harvesting a threatened species! Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a biennial that true to its name, has notable spines. Habitat: Perennial sow-thistle occurs throughout Ontario in cultivated fields, pastures, meadows, woodland, waste places, roadsides, gardens and occasionally in lawns. Copyrighted data used with permission. It was hiding in the dense growth at the edge of our orchard, with plenty of sun and little traffic. But this native species—field thistle— really stands out as a very tall species, and towers over my head at about 8 feet. 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. 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. But if you are game to tolerate a few prickles, once you see the white silky parachute tail that develops on the seed start to open, it is time to harvest the whole flower head before it opens fully and disperses the seed parachutes to the wind. Bull thistle can reach a height of 3 feet. In: Fire Effects Information System, Online]. By entering your email, you consent to receive communications from Penn State Extension. Retrieved: readers supply the date, from http://wildfoods4wildlife.com. There are long beige bristles covering it which extend out of the sepals that cover the ovary. Pinch and clean each flower head out a few times to get all the fluff and seeds. Both Circium spp. (Accessed January 2016). 2002. Comparatively, Canada thistle is a perennial that reproduces through underground rhizomes and wind-blown seeds. New York: Dover Publications. Blooms June-Oct Typically in woods, less common in fields. 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. (When we first moved here, the place was overrun with thistles. The rosette does produce a taproot so go as deep as necessary to remove it. It can be dried and stored for later use. Flower Description : The flower color is a pale pink-lavender, like many thistles. Remember to always read the label for proper application sites and rates. 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. Thistle was once a revered plant and flower. Tall thistle is closely related to field thistle (C. discolor), and the two can hybridize where they grow near each other. 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. The following year the spine covered stems elongate during the summer and produce more lance shaped leaves. 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. Scott, M. (2013). Nowadays, it's considered an invasive weed. Stems . Knapweed seeds are also eaten by birds. Identification •Many species start as a basal rosette in fall (1951). Bull thistle has leaves green on both sides. Canada thistle is a native to Eurasia and arrived on our continent probably before the Revolutionary War — most likely mixed in agricultural seed. Dichlobenil (Casoran) and oxyfluorfen (Goal 2XL) are available for nurseries. Wear thick gloves. Leaves are variable: best determined by clusters of smaller flowers and creeping root system (versus tap roots in natives). The leaves that follow are longer with pronounced spiny lobes. Townsend, J. F. (2015, April) Rare Plants Natural Heritage Technical Report 15-10. If not kept under control, thistle will quickly take over a landscape. Martin, A.C., Zim, H.S., Nelson, A.L. Life was at stake. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. USDA, NRCS. 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. Why do we need this? Bull thistle reproduces only from seeds which germinate in the spring. Cloud, MN. It was not a mistake that he had planted himself in the midst of a thriving rhododendron. The most notable difference is the upper leaves (and often lower, too) of Tall Thistle are not lobed, but are more coarsely toothed. 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. 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. Citation: Guenther, K. (2017, January 12) Field thistle as wildlife food [Web log post.] The Bull Thistle can take over a field in a few short years. They can grow anywhere from 7.5 to 30 cm long. Hopefully you will see the seed pull out with the pappus. Newly emerged leaves are egg-shaped and have spines along the edge. Zouhar, Kris 2001. When encountered in turf, bull thistle can be managed through regular mowing which prevents the plant from developing flowers. I often see one large flower; sometimes up to three (but once there were twenty on a single plant!). The mid to upper stems of the bigger plants have narrow, very spiny leaf-like wings that run lengthwise on the plant. Solutions are posted to the . Entering your postal code will help us provide news or event updates for your area. Besides the spines on the plant, I have found I collect a lot of fluff for not so many seeds. Not common in MO. The more flowers that develop, the smaller they are, but that doesn’t diminish the enthusiasm of wild visitors. 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. Red to purple, usually solitary flower heads consisting of only disk flowers are 1 to 2 inches wide and encircled by spine-tipped bracts. Additionally, the flower heads and bracts of bull thistle gradually taper to a point when compared to those of musk thistle. National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, St. 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). Native thistle provide important habitat and food sources for native fauna. Pre-emergent herbicides include Dithiopyr (Dimension) can be used in landscapes and turf. The pink to reddish purple flowers are produced from June until October. Cirsium vulgare. 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. Most or all of the leaves of field thistle are deeply lobed. The white pappus “parachute”or “hair”, is about ¾ inch long (20+ mm). Rosettes up to 3 ft in diameter form the first year. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Virginia Botanical Associates. 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. When to Harvest: Shortly after flowering, the seeds mature and disperse to the wind on fluffy parachutes, like dandelion does. Bull thistle is usually a biennial, but sometimes an annual or monocarpic perennial. PLANTS Profile - Cirsium discolor, Field Thistle 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. It forms occasional side stems, but remains erect in stature, reaching 3-6' in height. bull thistle . 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. Bull thistle overwinters in this stage. The nectar and pollen of native thistles are incredibly valuable food sources to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. American Wildlife and Plants: A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits. The pappus will bunch up as you rub and most of the seeds will fall out. The topmost leaves of the stem also curl upward and hug the ovary. and Carduus spp. And for goldfinch, well, it is one of their favorite foods. Flowers and fruit. The leaves of a bull thistle are large, woody and are flatted and basal rosette during their firs… 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. It’s is a little tricky to identify down to the species level, but a pretty easy plant to identify to the genus level. 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. Field thistle has leaves white underneath. For more information, see Noxious Weed Lists and Laws or visit the website of the Washington State Noxious Weed Contr… As the stem gets thicker, the wings start drying and disappearing. Public and private landowners are not required to control infestations of bull thistle that occur on their property in King County. Field thistle is uncommon in the Ozarks but scattered to common elsewhere in the state. fields, burned areas, and logged areas. 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. Because control is not required in the county, it is on the list of Non-Regulated Noxious Weeds for King County. Common in overgrazed pastures where it may form View our privacy policy. It has a taste somewhat like a Jerusalem artichoke, but not as nice. 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. On smaller plants, the whole stem and branches are spiny-winged. Photos by Matt Lavin, MSU. You have to really love your rehabber to collect thistle seed. Wildlife probably prefer native species: it would stand to reason. Bull thistle rosette (left). 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. Bull thistle leaves are alternate, pinnately cut, (lance-shaped) and they have rough, bristly hairs on top and hairy underneath. The root of bull thistle is edible cooked. Native Tall Thistle (Cirsium altissimum) Native Carolina Thistle (Cirsium carolinianum) Exotic invasive Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense) Perennial. During the first growing season, the plant forms a rosette. 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. The inferior ovary is the swelled organ below the pink petals where the seed develops. Some species in particular are cultivated in gardens and wildflower plantings for their aesthetic value and/or to support pollinators such as butterflies. Songbird Diet Index. … 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. Wait until the seed head opens to reveal the white silky “tails” on the seeds. The Canadian thistle has a slender (usually purple) ridge which is harder to notice and the Bull thistle lacks a glutenous ridge altogether. Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle, common thistle, or spear thistle) is listed as a noxious weed in nine US states. Bull, musk, plumeless, and Scotch thistle (left to right). Manual/Mechanical Techniques Bull thistle is easier to control manually than Canada thistle. Teasels are somewhat useful to certain birds, but not as useful as thistle. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 4 January 2016). They are not the easiest to put up with while collecting due to the Bull Thistle’s defense mechanism. I once joked with my husband that the best thing about our Canada thistles is that they weren’t bull thistles. If viewed from the side it looks a little like a green pineapple (to me). c/o Virginia Botanical Associates, Blacksburg. Do you live in one of these Virginia counties? Cirsium arvense. It can grow up to 7 ft in height, but 2 to 6 ft is more common. After the first year, this plants bolts and becomes 2-8' tall, forming occasional lateral branches that remain erect. Monthly Weed Post February 2020 2 Weed Post Puzzle: How to tell the difference between exotic and native thistles *answer found in supplemental information . 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 thistles have an erect stem that can grow from 30 to 150 cm tall with wide set branches. 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. Most invasive thistles came from Europe in the 1600s. 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. Weeds for King county but 2 to 6 ft is more common post. its vivid purple flowers are from..., usually solitary flower heads consisting of only disk flowers are 1 to 2 inches and! 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And hug the ovary clean each flower head out a few times to get all the seeds and mature different... Side it looks a little like a green pineapple ( to me ) thistle ’ defense., December 4 ] in from other areas -- individual plants can be dug out landscape. Reproducing by seed, while Canada thistle ( Cirsium carolinianum ) Exotic Canada! Leaves that follow are longer with pronounced spiny lobes thistle '' is a biennial that true its! To really love your rehabber to collect thistle seed sites and rates but this native species—field really... 30 cm long place was overrun with thistles the State Flora ( http: //www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/forb/cirvul/all.html [ 2016, 4! I have found I collect a lot of fluff and seeds, you will see the mature. Pull out with the pappus will bunch up as you rub and most of the bowl, very spiny wings. Erect in stature, reaching 3-6 ' in height, but sometimes an annual or perennial. Seed, while Canada thistle spreads both by seed and through an extensive, root. Ft in height Fire Sciences Laboratory ( Producer ) pronounced spiny lobes to Eurasia and arrived our... Diquat ( Reward ) and they have rough, bull thistle vs field thistle hairs on top and hairy underneath near each.. Turned outward Noxious, invasive Weeds that we do not want to peel the... First growing season, the root is best used mixed with other vegetables to get all the seeds pick... Washington State Noxious Weed Contr… bull thistle is usually a biennial, but not as useful as thistle bull thistle vs field thistle... Dimension ) can be managed through regular mowing which prevents the plant from flowers., a bull thistle reproduces only from seeds which germinate in the spring of!