Nodding Thistle

Carduus nutans

Family: Asteraceae.

Form: Herb

Origin: Native of Europe, Asia and North Africa.

Flowers/Seedhead: In solitary heads at ends of branches; heads made up of many small flowers (florets) to 24 mm long. Flowers mostly spring to autumn.

Description: Erect, mostly biennial, thistle with flowering stems to 1.7 (rarely to 2.5) m high. Leaves variable, basal leaves in a rosette, green and often with white mid veins, to 50 cm long, to 10 cm wide, earliest leaves not deeply lobed, later leaves and stem leaves deeply dissected, leaf bases forming wings down the stem. Seeds ovoid, grey to brown, slightly curved, longitudinally lined.

Distinguishing features: Distinguished by spiny winged stems (except just below flower heads) and spiny leaves; leaves sparsely hairy above and below; spine-tipped bracts surrounding heads, outer bracts reflexed; mature heads 4–8 cm wide (including bracts) and nodding; all florets tubular, pink to bright purple (rarely white), arising from a hairy receptacle; seeds 3–4.5 mm long, hairless, topped by numerous simple white bristles (pappus) 15–22 mm long.

Dispersal: Spread by seed.