Similar species: Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense; invasive) has spiny leaves, but non-spiny stems and flower heads. Sections of this page. Press alt + / to open this menu. Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. 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. Hadroplontus litura, or the Canada thistle stem weevil, is a biological control agent that attacks Canada thistle by larval feeding within the stem, opening the plant up for secondary damage from other organisms such as opportunistic pathogens. Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a robust and spiny plant that has been in Oklahoma since the 1960s. States Counties Points List Species Info. Bull thistle takes over native habitats and is easily identified by its large purple flowers and spiney stems and leaves. Description: This plant is a biennial forb. Log In. Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten. Facebook. Nonnative species are common in today's world, with people intentionally and unintentionally transporting innumerable species across physical and ecological barriers that would otherwise restrict their movement and range. Thickets of thistle crowd out forage grasses in pastures and rangelands, reducing crop yields and productivity. USDA PLANTS Symbol: CIVU U.S. Nativity: Exotic Habit: Herb. Also occurs in foothills, dry meadows and riparian areas. Appearance. All three are identified by the bright purple flowering head, each with a different inflorescence. This species is Introduced in the United States . Completing a module should only take about 15 minutes. Priority Species: Scotch Thistle. Bull thistle stem leaves are more or less lance-shaped and 3 to 12 inches (7.6-30 cm) long, prickly hairy on the top and very hairy underneath. IUCN. or. Bull Thistle Cirsium vulgare . and butterflies such as the monarch, tiger swallowtail, skippers, among others). 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. Range: Found in every state in the U.S. Habitat: Disturbed areas including rangeland, pastures, forest clearcuts, roadsides and waste areas. Similar species: Native marsh thistle (Cirsium muticum) has non-spiny stems and flower heads. Alternanthera sessilis: sessile joyweed Simaroubaceae (quassia-wood family) Jump to. Synonym(s): common thistle, spear thistle Appearance Cirsium vulgare is an annual or biennial, herbaceous plant that invades disturbed areas throughout the United States. Isolated infesta- tions occasionally occur, but severe infestations larger than one acre, are rare. Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense; invasive) does not have a winged stem or spines on its stem or flower heads. Cirsium vulgare is an annual or biennial, herbaceous plant that invades disturbed areas throughout the United States. These leaves have prickly hairs on top and are very hairy on the underside. Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare; non-native) has prickly winged stems and leaves have prickly hair above, with white wooly hair below. Bull Thistle-Cirsium vulgare Bull Thistle is native to Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia and found on every continent except for Antarctica. Accessibility Help. Each module includes a short ten question quiz at the end to help you assess your newly acquired knowledge. Keywords Biotic resistance Bull thistle Spear thistle Cirsium vulgare Tall thistle Cirsium altissimum Exotic plants Insect herbivory Insect–plant interactions Invasive species Seedling regeneration Introduction Most introduced species fail to colonize, establish or spread in novel environments, while a few species become widely invasive (Williamson 1996). 2021 Outreach Survey As ISN plans for the months and years ahead, we would love to hear what you would like from us in regard to outreach and education! 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. However, it was included in the extensive surveys of natural enemies of Canada and musk thistle started in Europe in 1961 by the Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control (now CABI Bioscience), funded by Canada Department of Agriculture. Sign Up. Seeds remain viable in the soil for up to 10 years. The non-native thistles are all sharply spiny where the natives either have few or no spines, or have soft spines. University of Georgia. Washington Invasive Species Council. assessment of each species by the Indiana Invasive Plant Advisory Committee which consistsof representatives from horticulture, landscape, nursery, research, conservation, and Purdue Agriculture. Bull thistle . Bull thistle can form dense thickets, displacing native vegetation. List C Species are species for which the Commissioner, in consultation with the state noxious weed advisory committee, local governments, and other interested parties, will develop and implement state noxious weed management plans designed to support the efforts of local governing bodies to facilitate more effective integrated weed management on private and public lands. Species of Concern. Family: Asteraceae . See more of Invasive Species Council of BC on Facebook. ), sweat bees (Agapostemon spp.) Bull thistle flowerheads are 1.5 to 2 inches (3.8 to 5 cm) in diameter, 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) long, usually solitary, and more or less clustered at the ends of shoots and branches. created by sister-CISMA Wild Rivers Invasive Species Coalition Why are these plants a problem? Global Invasive Species Database - Onopordum acanthium. The leaves of bull thistle are lance-shaped and anywhere from 3-12 inches long. Email or Phone: Password: Forgot account? Because it behaves much like a weed, it can quickly overtake other plants nearby. Invasive nonnative species are species that have been introduced by human activity into ecosystems and ecological communities where they did not previously exist. Like most invasive plants, Canada thistle, bull thistle, and European swamp thistle (see below) threaten to replace native plants in high quality natural areas, which in turn reduces critical food resources for birds, butterflies, and other wild creatures. The three most common invasive thistle species are: Canada thistle, bull thistle, and plumeless thistle. Leaves are 3-12 in. Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) is a root-creeping perennial. However, bull thistle mostly grows where soil has been disturbed, either along roadsides, or in overgrazed pastures. ), bumblebees (Bombus spp. The spiny, spreading, winged stems are up to 7 ft. (2.1 m) tall. Milk thistle ( Silybum marianum ) is a biennial flowering plant with medicinal properties.It's ultra easy to grow, but there's a caveat. It is also naturalised in North America, Africa, and Australia and is an invasive weed in some areas. In many places, milk thistle is considered to be extremely invasive. St. Johns wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) and dyer's woad (Isatis tinctoria L.) are two invasive species found growing in the park. Create New Account. 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). Origin: Native to Europe. The spiny, spreading, winged stems are up to 7 ft. (2.1 m) tall. Bull thistle, (Cirsium vulgare), is a widespread weed on Maui that also has a purple flower and similar growth form. Bull thistle is a biennial thistle native to Europe. Our native thistles can be much more refined and are exponentially more valuable to wildlife. Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare; invasive) and plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides; invasive) have sharply spined leaves, stems and flower heads. Lobes on leaves are tipped with stout spines. 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