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  3. Bull Thistle

Bull Thistle

Cirsium vulgare

Summary 5

Cirsium vulgare, the spear thistle, bull thistle, or common thistle, is a species of the Asteraceae genus Cirsium, native throughout most of Europe (north to 66°N, locally 68°N), Western Asia (east to the Yenisei Valley), and northwestern Africa (Atlas Mountains). It is also naturalised in North America, Africa, and Australia and is an invasive weed in some areas. It is the national flower of Scotland.

How to recognize it? 6

Woody dark green leaves with short, sharp prickles on the upper surface. Numerous bracts with yellow tips.

Observations in Banff National Park 7

2020-21: https://inaturalist.ca/observations?project_id=69401&taxon_id=52989&place_id=any&verifiable=any
2019-20: https://inaturalist.ca/observations?project_id=38602&taxon_id=52989&place_id=any&verifiable=any

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) S. Rae, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cirsium_vulgare_(Spear_Thistle)_-_Flickr_-_S._Rae.jpg
  2. (c) bioblitzbanff, all rights reserved
  3. (c) Ivar Leidus, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cirsium_vulgare_-_Keila2.jpg
  4. (c) Syrio, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cirsium_vulgare_Paludi_02.jpg
  5. Adapted by bioblitzbanff from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirsium_vulgare
  6. (c) bioblitzbanff, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
  7. (c) metallyza, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

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