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Flodman's thistle

Cirsium flodmanii

Also called Prairie Thistle, Woolly Thistle, Flodman’s Thistle, Flodman Thistle

Flodman's thistle
Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0

Flodman's thistle is a native perennial wildflower of the northern prairies and grasslands of Canada and the northern US, growing up to about 140 cm tall with spiny leaves and purple flower heads. It is grown mainly for native and prairie plantings, and needs full sun and well-drained soil.

Family
Asteraceae (Daisy family)
Grows as
Perennial
Light
Full sun
Water
Water during establishment, then rely mostly on rainfall; it tolerates dry spells once rooted.
Soil
Well-drained, moderately fertile soil; tolerates poor and sandy soil.
Temperature
Hardy to very cold winters, typical of Canadian prairies; no special protection needed.
How easy
Easy
Native range
Canada to NW. & NC. U.S.A.

About

Cirsium flodmanii, commonly known as prairie thistle, Flodman's thistle, or (in French) chardon de Flodman, is a plant species native to Canada and the northern United States. It has been found in every Canadian province from Québec to Alberta, as well as from the northern Great Plains, northern Rocky Mountains, and western Great Lakes regions of the US, as well as northern parts of Vermont, New York, and Washington.

Cirsium flodmanii is a perennial herb up to 140 cm (55 inches) tall. Leaves are up to 40 cm (16 inches) long, with numerous fine spines along the edges. Flowers are usually purple, occasionally white. The plant generally is found in grasslands and pastures.

Other Cirsium plants

Dwarf Thistle · Tall thistle · Rose thistle · Franciscan thistle · Alishan Thistle · Arizona thistle · Creeping Thistle · Barneby's thistle · Cirsium boninense · Cirsium brachycephalum · Palouse thistle · Clustered thistle

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Cirsium flodmanii by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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