Nodding Thistle (Musk Thistle)

Carduus nutans

A showy flower, but fearsomely protected, this biennial sends up from basal rosette of large, spiny leaves a single thick stem (about 1/2 inch in diameter) that may branch. These then produce long stalks (often a foot or more), each supporting a large flower head. The flowers are up to 3 inches across and consist hundreds of purple-pink (rarely white) disk florets with long stamens, so when in full bloom it appears like a ball of purple fluff (see image below left); the flower takes some time to develop from the bud (see image at near left, partly-open flower).  Flowers are supported by several rows of large, triangular bracts that start out green but turn purple as the flower blooms. Lower leaves are long (8 inches) and deeply lobed with spikes at the end of the pointy lobes; leaves along the stems are smaller, less deeply lobed, but no less spiny. The stems also have intermittent spiny 'wings,' especially lower on the plant.

2-5 feet, sun.

Summer-Autumn (July-October).

  The spiny foliage and stems.

12 June 2020.

Nodding Thistle, 16 June 2020.

The flower on far left is in full bloom. Note the large purplish triangular bracts reflexed back from the blossom.

20 June 2020.