Canadian Thistle (Cirsium Arvense)
2B, widespread in Montana
Quick ID
- Purple fading to white flowers resembling knapweed flowers
- Prickly leaves with a waxy surface
- Growth in patches
- Slightly hairy stems reaching heights of one to four feet tall
Canadian Thistle
Video Information
Weed Images
Weed Specifications
| Type | Information |
|---|---|
| Toxicity | Non-toxic |
| Best Management Practices | Biocontrol, mowing, herbicide and herbicide integrated with one or more management strategies have proven to be effective controls. |
| Habitat | Wetter habitat or disturbed ground, including ditch banks, overgrazed pastures, tilled fields or abandoned sites. |
| Root | Extensive vertical and creeping horizontal roots. |
| Leaves | Alternate, wavy, shallow-lobed, spine-tipped and lack stalks; upper leaves are smaller than lower. |
| Lifespan | Perennial |
| Similar Looking Plants | Wavy leaf and bull thistles. |
| Important Information | Hard to manage due to extensive nutrient stores and root systems; the root system accounts for much of the re-establishment of the plant. |
