Cirsium discolor (Muhl. ex Willd.) Spreng.

Field Thistle; Two Color Thistle

Herb

Biennial

Vascular

Field Thistle is a native herbaceous biennial or weak perennial in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). It occurs in the northern 2/3’s of Alabama. Field Thistle occurs in prairies, in cedar glades, in pastures, along woodland edges, and on roadsides. Each taproot produces a single stem. The stems are erect, 3-9 feet tall, pubescent, and leafy. The stems are unbranched below the middle. During the first year, the leaves form a basal rosette before the flowering stem is produced. Basal leaves are absent at the time of flowering. Stem leaves are alternate, sessile or with winged petioles, elliptic to lanceolate in outline, and dissected. The leaves are green above and glabrous or with a few scattered hairs. The lower surface of the leaf is white tomentose (densely matted with woolly hairs). The margins of the leaves are revolute (turned under). The dissections of the leaf blade are spine tipped. Flowers are produced in heads. The heads are arranged in corymbs or panicles. The heads are ovoid and thinly pubescent with cob-webby hairs. The phyllaries are green with a light central stripe and are spine tipped. The heads have lavender disc flowers and no ray flowers. The fruit is a tan achene with a tuff of white plumose (feather-like) pappus.--A. Diamond

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Native

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