Cirsium vulgare, commonly known as 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 North Africa (Atlas Mountains).[ Flora Europaea: Cirsium vulgare][Den Virtuella Floran: Cirsium vulgare (in Swedish, with maps)][ Altervista Flora Italiana, Cardo asinino, Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten.][ Flora of China, 翼蓟 yi ji, Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Tenore] It is also naturalised in North America, Africa, and Australia and is an invasive species weed in several regions.[ Flora of North America, Bull or common or spear thistle, gros chardon, chardon vulgaire ou lancéolé, piqueux, Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Tenore][ Atlas of Living Australia, Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten., Black Thistle][ Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques & South African National Biodiversity Institute, African Plant Database, Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten.] It is the national flower of Scotland.
The plant provides a great deal of nectar for pollinators. It was rated in the top 10 for most nectar production (nectar per unit cover per year) in a UK plants survey conducted by the AgriLand project which is supported by the UK Insect Pollinators Initiative.
Description
It is a tall
biennial plant or short-lived
monocarpic thistle, forming a rosette of
leaf and a
taproot up to 70 cm (28 in) long in the first year, and a
stem 1–1.5 m (3 ft 4 in – 4 ft 11 in) tall in the second (rarely third or fourth) year. It can grow up to tall.
It sometimes will function as an annual, flowering in the first year. The stem is winged, with numerous longitudinal spine-tipped wings along its full length. The leaves are stoutly spined, grey-green, deeply lobed; the basal leaves grow up to long,
with smaller leaves on the upper part of the flower stem; the leaf lobes are spear-shaped (from which the English name derives). The
inflorescence is diameter, pink-purple, with all the
of similar form (no division into disc and ray florets). The
are long, with a downy pappus, which assists in wind dispersal. As in other species of
Cirsium (but unlike species in the related genus
Carduus), the pappus hairs are feathery with fine side hairs.
[Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). Flora of Britain and Northern Europe. ][Bond, W., Davies, G., & Turner, R. J. (2007). The biology and non-chemical control Spear Thistle ( Cirsium vulgare). 6pp. HDRA the organic organisation. 2006 Version]
Ecology
Spear thistle is often a
ruderal species, colonising bare
disturbed ground, but also persists well on heavily
grazing land as it is unpalatable to most grazing animals.
[ Nitrogen-rich soils help increase its proliferation.][
]
Weed status
Spear thistle is designated an "injurious weed" under the UK Weeds Act 1959,[Defra, UK – Farming – Wildlife and plants Ragwort and injurious weeds ] and a noxious weed in Australia[
]
Despite this label, the plant has beneficial qualities beyond its very high nectar production. It produces seeds eaten by the American goldfinch, down from seed pods that is used by those birds for material. However, despite this serving generalist pollinators and animals, it is highly recommended to plant Native species thistles and other plants as it can wreak havoc on natural ecosystems.
Other names
Common names include bull thistle,[
]
Uses
The stems can be peeled (removing their spiny surfaces) and then steamed or boiled.
In culture
The plant features in some Scottish ceremonies such as the "Riding of the Marches", held annually in Langholm in July. The 1992 specimen measured six feet in length.[Mabey R. (1996). Flora Britannica. Sinclair-Stevenson. .]
Spear thistle is also the emblem of Newton Regis in England.
Flower language
Cirsium vulgare Flower language
-
Purple Flower – 'Independence, Strictness, Austerity, Do Not Touch'
-
Pink Flower – 'Dignity, Strictness, Friendship, Joy, Romance'
-
White Flower – 'Purity, Spirituality, New Beginning'
-
Blue Flower – 'Rarity, Originality'
External links
