Leaf type: Lanceolate to pinnately lobed; the leaves are more or less deeply toothed, indented, or smooth-edged, and may also be wavy
Leaf margin: Spiny, hairy, wavy
Phyllotaxis: Alternate
Colour: Green to green-turquoise
Life cycle: Perennial
Leaf (upper side)
Leaf (under side)
Growth habit & biology
Cirsium vulgare is a perennial plant. It can grow over one meter tall. Its leaf shapes are variable, the leaves can be smooth-edged, toothed, or notched. With or without spines.
It spreads not only via seeds but also via short runners and helps stabilize and improve the soil.
Unfortunately, it is precisely these characteristics that can make it a dreaded agricultural pest. It can regrow from small root fragments, which leads to extra work, especially in organic farming, where weeds are removed mechanically.
Distribution & habitates
Eurasia, North Africa, and as an introduced species in Australia, New Zealand, North America, and South America (source).
Its natural habitats include forest edges and the edges of thickets; Cirsium arvense can also be found in farmlands, fields, and pastures, along roadsides, on embankments, in gravel pits, on construction sites, and other locations. It is also frequently encountered in urban areas.
Botany
Cirsium arvense, a member of the daisy family (Asteraceae), has many common names, including creeping thistle, field thistle, prickly thistle, and Canadian thistle.
