Swaziland's Alien Plants Database

Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten. ASTERACEAE bull thistle, spear thistle, Scotch thistle, black thistle, common thistle, common bull thistle, Fuller's thistle, swamp thistle Invasive, Minor problem species Origin: Eurasia Growth Form: Herb Plant Description: Plant: Spiny, herbaceous biennial, forming a large, flat rosette of leaves and deep tap-root the first year and much-branched stems up to 1.5 m high in the second year; stems have spiny wings. Leaves: Dark green with stiff hairs above, white woolly beneath, deeply lobed, the lobes ending in strong spines. Flowers: Pink to mauve, in heads up to 50 mm long x 50 mm wide, surrounded by spiny bracts, September–April. Fruit: Achenes tufted with silky hairs 20 mm long. Key Features: Control: Comments: More information: Weeds & Invasive Plants Home Page NRCS Plants Database Illustration USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Photo - flowers/leaves K Braun, Swaziland's Alien Plants Database Photo - flower K Braun, Swaziland's Alien Plants Database

KEY   Confirmed (herbarium specimen)   Visual record   Suspected Click on map grid square to view record information for each grid square.

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