# 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! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 8 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Cobwebby Thistle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Venus_thistle.jpg&width=800) Photo: Wing-Chi Poon, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Venus_thistle.jpg) ## Appearance 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Cirsium ## Interesting facts - 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! ## Special abilities - **Spiky Armor:** Cobwebby Thistle has sharp, protective spines that help defend it from hungry animals wanting to take a bite. - **Fuzzy Blanket:** Cobwebby Thistle has dense, white, cobweb-like hairs that help it reflect sunlight and keep moisture inside. - **Deep Drinker:** Cobwebby Thistle has a long taproot that helps it reach deep water sources in dry, thirsty environments. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-180 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 3-6 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to late summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Biennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Painted Lady butterfly (*Vanessa cardui*) — larvae feed on leaves - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — drinks nectar from flowers - **Eats:** [Lesser Goldfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lesser-goldfinch) (*Carduelis psaltria*) — consumes mature thistle 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 of the spiky leaves when touching this plant. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Cobwebby 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 Cobwebby Thistle? 30-180 cm ### How wide does Cobwebby Thistle spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Cobwebby Thistle? 3-6 cm ### When does Cobwebby Thistle bloom? Late spring to late summer ### Is Cobwebby Thistle edible? Yes ### Is Cobwebby Thistle toxic? None ### What is Cobwebby Thistle's lifecycle? Biennial ## Where to spot - [Lake Oroville State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lake-oroville-state-recreation-area) — California, US · State Park - [Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/guadalupe-nipomo-dunes) — California, US · Natural Landmark - [Leaning Pine Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/leaning-pine-arboretum) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Nevada City Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/nevada-city-downtown-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Old Auburn Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-auburn-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Putah Creek State Wildlife Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/putah-creek-state-wildlife-area) — California, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see Cobwebby Thistle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/cobwebby-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: [Cobwebby Thistle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cobwebby-thistle)