# Bull Thistle (*Cirsium vulgare*) Bull Thistle is a tall plant with spiky leaves and bright purple flowers. It grows in fields and along roadsides, making it easy to spot in nature! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 32 - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Spear Thistle, Tumble Thistle ![Bull Thistle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cirsium_vulgare_Harthope.jpg&width=800) Photo: Sciadopitys from UK, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cirsium_vulgare_Harthope.jpg) ## Appearance The Bull Thistle has large, stiff, deeply lobed leaves armed with sharp, yellow spines. Its stout, hairy stems are topped with bristly, globe-shaped flower heads that bloom with vibrant purple to pink-magenta florets. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Cirsium ## Interesting facts - A single Bull Thistle plant can produce thousands of tiny seeds! - Its taproot can grow over 2 feet deep into the soil. - Many birds, like goldfinches, love to eat its nutritious seeds. - Young thistle stems and roots can be cooked and eaten! ## Special abilities - **Spine Armor:** Bull Thistle has sharp, rigid spines that protect its leaves and stems from hungry herbivores. - **Seed Dispersal Power:** Bull Thistle can launch its feathery seeds on the wind, helping them travel far and wide to new growing spots. - **Deep Root Anchor:** Bull Thistle has a thick taproot that helps it reach deep water and stay firmly anchored. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 50-180 cm - **Spread:** 30-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 3-5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer-fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Biennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen from flowers. - **Pollinates:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Drinks nectar from its purple blooms. - **Eats:** [American Goldfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-goldfinch) (*Carduelis tristis*) — Consumes seeds directly from dried flower heads. - **Eats:** Thistle Weevil (*Rhinocyllus conicus*) — Larvae develop within the seed heads, consuming seeds. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Be careful around Bull Thistle because its leaves are sharp! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Bull Thistle? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Bull Thistle? 50-180 cm ### How wide does Bull Thistle spread? 30-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on Bull Thistle? 3-5 cm ### When does Bull Thistle bloom? Summer-fall ### Is Bull Thistle edible? Yes ### Is Bull Thistle toxic? None ### What is Bull Thistle's lifecycle? Biennial ## Where to spot - [Arden Park–East Boston Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arden-park-east-boston-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Bloomingdale](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bloomingdale) — District of Columbia, US · Neighborhood - [Brookside Reservation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brookside-reservation) — Ohio, US · Park - [Canal Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/canal-park) — District of Columbia, US · Park - [Lake Fairfax Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lake-fairfax-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Market Square](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/market-square) — Tennessee, US · Historic District [View all places to see Bull Thistle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/bull-thistle) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Bull Thistle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bull-thistle)