Nodding Thistle

Nodding Thistle (Carduus nutans), Dolly Sods Wilderness

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Nodding Thistle (Carduus nutans)

The Nodding Thistle (Carduus natans) is a member of the Asteraceae or Aster family.  Also known as with the common names musk thistle and nodding plumeless thistle, it is a smooth or thinly hairy biennial which grows anywhere between 1- and 7-feet tall.  Requiring 2 years to complete a full reproductive cycle it may germinate and flower in a single year in warmer climates.  The leaves, which can be up to 10-inches long and 4-inches wide, are mostly smooth and deeply lobed.  The solitary flower heads are up to 2-inches wide at the ends of very long stalks.  These flower heads commonly droop to a 90° to 120° angle from the stem when mature, hence the name.  The flowers are reddish-purple.  Flowering occurs from June to October with seed dissemination occurring approximately one month after the flowers form. A single flower head may produce 1,200 seeds which are wind dispersed. The seeds may remain viable in the soil for over ten years, making it a difficult plant to control.  It can be found in pastures, on roadsides and in waste places.  It is a native of Eurasia but has now become widely established in the US and Canada.  It flowers from May to November.

Nodding Thistle (Carduus nutans), Dolly Sods Wilderness

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Summary

Article Name

Nodding Thistle

Description

The Nodding Thistle (Carduus natans) is a member of the Asteraceae or Aster family which grows between 1- and 7-feet tall.

Author

Mark Summerfield

Publisher Name

Mark Summerfield

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