Thistles of Nebraska

Description:

Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower family)

Origin: Eurasia

Life Span: Biennial and occasionally annual

Reproduction: by small seeds that begin to mature in mid-to-late June.

Leaves:

• alternate
• dark green with a conspicuous light green midrib, often with silvery edges
• smooth and hairless on both the top and bottom surfaces
• edges serrated, with lobes ending in white spines

Stems:

• spiny, with a "winged" appearance
• hairless
• highly branched

Flowers:

• deep rose to violet in color
• stem at base of flower head often bends, giving this plant the common name of "nodding thistle"
• a single bloom forms at the top of each stem, but one plant may produce up to 70 flower heads

Root:

• large, fleshy taproot

Distribution:
Musk thistle is common throughout Nebraska, ranging in abundance from dense infestations to sparsely scattered plants. It is found in moist lowlands, pastures, meadows, and rangelands.

Weediness:
Musk thistle will invade almost any area that has sufficient light and soil moisture, forming dense stands that exclude native plants.

Go to thistle start (sitemap)

Flower

Leaf upperside

Leaf underside

Stem

Root

Rosette

Bud

Seedling