Tall Thistle

cirsium altissimum

The Tall Thistle is a tall and spiky plant that loves to grow in sunny places. Its beautiful purple flowers attract many butterflies and bees, making it a fun sight in the wild!

Lebensraum: Tall Thistles thrive in sunny fields, meadows, and along roadsides.

Aussehen

The Tall Thistle is a remarkably tall plant, often reaching over 8 feet, with a sturdy, usually unbranched stem. It has large, deeply lobed leaves covered in sharp spines, and distinctive purple-pink, bristly flower heads that bloom atop the stem.

ReichPlantaeStammTracheophytaKlasseMagnoliopsidaOrdnungAsteralesFamilieAsteraceaeGattungCirsium

Tall Thistle

Kategorie

Pflanzen

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

Despite its prickly appearance, its young stems and roots are edible after careful preparation.

Goldfinches love to feast on the fluffy seeds of Tall Thistle, often seen clinging to the stalks.

Its seeds have fluffy parachutes, allowing the wind to carry them far and wide to new growing spots.

The "fluff" from its mature seeds can be used by birds to line their nests, providing warmth.

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Tall Thistle has sharp spines that deter hungry animals from eating its leaves and stems.

Its long taproot helps Tall Thistle reach deep underground water, allowing it to survive dry periods.

Tall Thistle can grow incredibly tall, reaching high above other plants to capture plenty of sunlight.

Maße und Details

Höhe: 90-300 cm
Ausbreitung: 30-60 cm
Blütengröße: 3-5 cm
Blütezeit: Late summer to fall (Aug-Oct)
Essbar: Ja
Giftigkeit: Keine
Lebenszyklus: Mehrjährig
Bestäubungsmethode: Insekten

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

pollinates

European Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Collects nectar and pollen from flowers.

pollinates

Monarch Butterfly

Danaus plexippus

Feeds on nectar, aiding in pollination.

eats

American Goldfinch

Spinus tristis

Feeds on the seeds, often clinging to stalks.

pollinates

Common Eastern Bumblebee

Bombus impatiens

Visits flowers for nectar and pollen.

Merkmale

Farbenfroh

Farbenfroh beschreibt Organismen oder Objekte, die eine große Vielfalt an leuchtenden und deutlich erkennbaren Farben aufweisen.

Grasland

Grasland-Lebensräume sind terrestrische Biome, die von Gräsern und krautigen Pflanzen dominiert werden und einer Vielzahl von Weidetieren als Lebensraum dienen.