Cirsium: Country Or Region Of Origin
Europe, Asia, Africa, Southern America and Northern America
Plant Profile: Cirsium
Taxonomy: CirsiumNames
Cirsium, Plume Thistle
Phonetic Spelling:SIR-see-um
Genus:Cirsium
Species:
Family:Asteraceae
Thistles belong to the aster family and can be classified as either biennials or perennials, exhibiting a wide range of flower sizes and colors. Characterized by their spiny structures, these plants are often regarded as weeds and are classified as invasive in certain states. They propagate through seeds and rhizomes, with approximately 60 species native to North America.
These plants are rich in nectar, making them a vital resource for bees and butterflies, while their seeds are a food source for various birds, particularly finches.
Tags
#wildlife plant
#weedy
#nectar plant
#cut flowers
#specialized bees
#NC native
#pollinator plant
#bird friendly
#bee friendly
Similar Plants
Cirsium Feature Summary
Attributes
Europe, Asia, Africa, Southern America and Northern America
From Canada to Florida, coast to coast
Members of the genus Cirsium support the following specialized bees: Melissodes (Heliomelissodes) desponsus, Osmia (Helicosmia) chalybea and Osmia (Helicosmia) texana. Birds eat the seeds.
Has been used for food in some counties.
Perennial
Biennial
Flowers
Numerous disc florets that are divided into 5 long thread-like lobes giving it a showy hair-like appearance. Spines present in the numerous bracts below the flower.
Pink
Purple/Lavender
White
Gold/Yellow
Red/Burgundy
Good Cut
Summer
Dome
1-3 inches
Leaves
Most have a basal leaf arrangement and alternate stem leaves. Spines are present on the leaves.
Deciduous
Green
Simple
Alternate
Whorled
Elliptical
Oblanceolate
Whole Plant Traits
Native Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Deciduous
Erect
Coarse
Spines
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Stem
Landscape
Pollinators
Specialized Bees
Cirsium Image Gallery
Cirsium Attributes
Cirsium: Distribution
From Canada to Florida, coast to coast
Cirsium: Wildlife Value
Members of the genus Cirsium support the following specialized bees: Melissodes (Heliomelissodes) desponsus, Osmia (Helicosmia) chalybea and Osmia (Helicosmia) texana. Birds eat the seeds.
Cirsium: Edibility
Has been used for food in some counties.
Cirsium: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Cirsium Flowers
Cirsium: Flower Description
Numerous disc florets that are divided into 5 long thread-like lobes giving it a showy hair-like appearance. Spines present in the numerous bracts below the flower.
Cirsium: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Pink
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
White
Cirsium: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Cirsium: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Cirsium: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Cirsium: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Cirsium: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Cirsium Leaves
Cirsium: Leaf Description
Most have a basal leaf arrangement and alternate stem leaves. Spines are present on the leaves.
Cirsium: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Cirsium: Leaf Color
Green
Cirsium: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Cirsium: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Cirsium: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Cirsium: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Cirsium Whole Plant Traits
Cirsium: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Cirsium: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Cirsium: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Cirsium: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Cirsium: Appendage
Prickles
Spines
Tendrils
Thorns
Cirsium Cultural Conditions
Cirsium: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Cirsium: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Cirsium Stem
Cirsium: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Cirsium Landscape
Cirsium: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
