Cobwebby Thistle

Cirsium occidentale

The Cobwebby Thistle is a tall plant with spiky leaves and fluffy purple flowers. It attracts butterflies and bees, making it a fun plant to spot in nature!

Hábitat: Grasslands

Aspecto

The Cobwebby Thistle has a striking appearance with deeply lobed, spiny green leaves covered in a distinctive white, woolly 'cobweb' texture. Its tall, sturdy stems are topped with fluffy, globe-shaped flower heads in shades of bright magenta or purple, often appearing like a spiky, vibrant pom-pom.

ReinoPlantaeFiloTracheophytaClaseMagnoliopsidaOrdenAsteralesFamiliaAsteraceaeGéneroCirsium

Cobwebby Thistle

Categoría

Plantas

Rareza

Common

Peligro

2/5 · Bajo

Snaps

¡Sé la primera persona en hacer un snap!

Datos interesantes

Even though spiky, young thistle stalks can be peeled and eaten like celery!

Indigenous people once used its tough fibers to weave ropes and even fishing nets!

Its seeds have tiny parachutes that let them float far away on the wind!

This thistle can grow in really tough, dry places where other plants struggle!

Habilidades especiales

Cobwebby Thistle has sharp, protective spines that help defend it from hungry animals wanting to take a bite.

Cobwebby Thistle has dense, white, cobweb-like hairs that help it reflect sunlight and keep moisture inside.

Cobwebby Thistle has a long taproot that helps it reach deep water sources in dry, thirsty environments.

Medidas y detalles

Altura: 30-180 cm
Extensión: 30-60 cm
Tamaño de la flor: 3-6 cm
Temporada de floración: Late spring to late summer
Comestible: Sí
Toxicidad: Ninguna
Ciclo de vida: Bienal
Método de polinización: Insectos

Conexiones ecológicas

eaten by

Painted Lady butterfly

Vanessa cardui

larvae feed on leaves

pollinates

Honey bee

Apis mellifera

collects nectar and pollen

pollinates

Monarch butterfly

Danaus plexippus

drinks nectar from flowers

eats

Lesser Goldfinch

Carduelis psaltria

consumes mature thistle seeds

Rasgos

Floración

Las plantas con flores son cualquier planta que produce flores como parte de su ciclo reproductivo.

Bienal

Las plantas bienales completan su ciclo de vida en dos temporadas de crecimiento, formando típicamente follaje en el primer año y floreciendo o semillando en el segundo.

Floración de verano

Las plantas de floración de verano producen sus flores durante la temporada estival, a menudo aportando un color vibrante cuando muchas otras plantas ya han terminado de florecer.