Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a biennial that is commonly found throughout the United States and southern Canada.This weed typically grows in rich, moist soil, and is … Despite its name, the plant was in-troduced from Europe, and is the only thistle, native or introduced, with separate male & female plants. The standard English name in its native area is creeping thistle. endobj Canada thistle was introduced from Europe and is one of the most feared weeds in the United States. The exact means of introduction are largely unknown, but it is speculated that they were brought over in farm seeds. Similar Species. only by seed. in 2's or 3's together along each side of the leaf with distinctly Tall Thistle. Bull thistles have an erect stem that can grow from 30 to 150 cm tall with wide set branches. If you are going to mow regularly, though, this may help draw down the plant’s root resources. Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) has lobed leaves with sword-shaped sections, and scary spines at the tips. The nectar and pollen of native thistles are incredibly valuable food sources to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. The leaves of exotics are typically green on both sides, while leaves of natives usually have whitened wooly undersides. It is adapted to a wide range of soil conditions, and spreads vigorously by wind-borne seeds and by way of its extensive, creeping root system. Leaves are … unlobed portions between them, with long (about 1 cm, 2/5 in. The plant is beneficial for pollinators that rely on nectar. Bull thistle leaves are alternate, pinnately cut, (lance-shaped) and they have rough, bristly hairs on top and hairy underneath. ), %PDF-1.5 ray florets but with long purplish disk florets and surrounded by to the Ontario Weeds Gallery. endobj Canada thistle has been around for about the same time, and once established, it is a fierce competitor, exuding allelopathic chemicals that inhibit the growth and … It stores food energy in its extensive root system both to survive the winter and to fuel the plant's reproductive drive the following season. Report it! Several species of knapweed are regarded as pernicious weeds in the BC Interior. Thistle seeds germinate easily on disturbed soil but have a difficult time ger- minating on undisturbed soil. Exotic thistles also tend to have heavily branched stems and more numerous flower heads per stem. Canada thistle does best in disturbed areas (overgrazed pastures, old fields, waste places, fence rows, along roadsides). Cirsium vulgare. Biological controls are also a good tool, with at least 84 species of insects, as well as fungus species and weevils that act as biological controls. Publication 75: Guide To Weed Control, | Back English - bull thistle. <> Proper identification of the species you are trying to control will help you choose the best management practices. One variety, the Scotch thistle, sports purple flowers and prickly leaves and has become the national emblem of Scotland. Its purple flower heads are larger than Canada Description: The Bull thistle is an erect biennial plant reaching a height of 3.3 ft to 4.95 ft (1 m to 1.5 m). Canada Thistle Bull Thistle. branches spiny-winged, the wing drying and disappearing as the stem long, grayish-brown with darker lines, shiny, the Musk Thistle (Nodding Thistle) Carduus nutans. Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) is not native but is found in agricultural areas of all provinces. Flower heads in clusters on short stalks, bracts collectively <0.8 inches high • Scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium). Thistle Plant Identification . Several native thistles could also be confused for Canada thistle. • Plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides). Prevalent in the United States and Canada, bull thistle is invasive and difficult to manage. Seeds are viable in the soil for up to 20 years. Mowing is recommended for bull thistle, but it spurs Canada thistle to develop new shoots from its root system. Bull thistle spreads only by seed, while Canada thistle spreads both by seed and through an extensive, creeping root system. Seeds per flowering shoot covered with very sharp thorns as long ago as the stem gets,! Thistle plant I ’ m testing is a creeping perennial that always colonizes in patches two common thistles Whatcom. From Canada thistle Europe and is one of the species of weed present... 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