Asteraceae

Yellow thistle

Cirsium horridulum Michx.

Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Cirsium

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Yellow thistle (Cirsium horridulum) — FlowerPhoto: Becky Dill, CC0, from iNaturalist

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Common names

By language (1)

English: Yellow thistle

Synonyms

Carduus horridulus (Michx.) Pers.
Carduus smallii (Britton) H.E.Ahles
Carduus spinosissimus var. elliottii (Torr. & A.Gray) Porter
Carduus vittatus Small
Cirsium horridulum f. elliottii (Torr. & A.Gray) Fernald
Cirsium horridulum f. horridulum
Cirsium horridulum subsp. chrismarii (Petr.) Petr.
Cirsium horridulum subsp. horridulum
Cirsium horridulum subsp. megacephalum Petr.
Cirsium horridulum var. vittatum (Small) R.W.Long
Cirsium pinetorum Small
Cirsium smallii Britton
Cirsium vittatum Small
Cnicus chrismarii Klatt
Cnicus horridulus (Michx.) Pursh

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb
Lifespan: Annual, Biennial
In the US and Canada: Lower 48 states: native

Photos

FlowerPhoto: Becky Dill, CC0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: sblumen, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Cleveland Powell, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: MathewTownsend, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Craig Martin, CC0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Bobyellow, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: scaminella, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Bobyellow, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Michael Renfroe, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Bonnie Semmling, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: sonnia hill, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Nick Farfsing, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF

More in Cirsium

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.