| musk thistle |
USDA PLANTS Symbol: CANU4 USDA ARS GRIN: 104109 ITIS: 35787 NAPIS: PBFAQBC |
| Carduus nutans L. | |
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Taxonomic Rank: Magnoliopsida: Asterales: Asteraceae |
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| Synonym(s): nodding plumeless thistle, nodding thistle, bristle thistle | |
Musk thistle is an herbaceous, biennial plant that grows to 6 ft. (1.8 m) tall. It has become a serious invader of open lands throughout the continental United States. It can be recognized by its showy, red-purple flowers and very spiny stem and leaves. Flowering occurs from June to September. The large, disk-shaped, terminal flower heads droop when mature. Musk thistle invades a variety of disturbed areas. Pastures are particularly at risk because musk thistle is unpalatable to livestock. Once established it can spread rapidly due to high seed production (as much as 120,000 seed per plant). Musk thistle is native to Western Europe and was accidentally introduced into the United States in the early 1900s. |
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Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources
- Weed of the Week - USDA Forest Service
- Fire Effects Information System - USDA Forest Service
- Element Stewardship Abstract - The Nature Conservancy
- Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council Invasive Plant Manual - SE-EPPC
- Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States - USDA Forest Service
- Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas - Plant Conservation Alliance
| Selected Images from Invasive.org | View All Images at Invasive.org |
 Foliage; basal rosette Loke T. Kok, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Foliage; Richard Old, XID Services, Inc., Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); lower stem Dan Tenaglia, Missouriplants.com, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); upper stem Dan Tenaglia, Missouriplants.com, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Stem and foliage Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte, , Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); USDA APHIS PPQ Archive, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); James R. Allison, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Ricky Layson, Ricky Layson Photography, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); June James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Stem(s); June James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Ricky Layson, Ricky Layson Photography, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Ready to set seed. Montana Wendy VanDyk Evans, , Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Richard Old, XID Services, Inc., Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte, , Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Vince Belleci, , Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Norman E. Rees, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Vince Belleci, , Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; A pile of fill dirt left over winter. The following spring, the pile was covered in musk thistles. Kris Johnson, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Diagram or Graphic; Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Vol. 3: 554. USDA PLANTS Database, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
Taxonomic References:
- USDA, NRCS. 2001. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.1, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
Invasive Listing Sources:
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 1994.
- Faith Campbell, 1998. Plants that Hog the Garden: Invasive Plants in the United States. Fine Gardening Online
- Hoffman, R. & K. Kearns, Eds. 1997. Wisconsin manual of control recommendations for ecologically invasive plants. Wisconsin Dept. Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources. Madison, Wisconsin. 102pp.
- Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
- John Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Survey of TNC Preserves, 1995.
- Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2005
- Missouri Department of Conservation,
- New Jersey Department of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry, 2004
- Nonnative Invasive Species in Southern Forest and Grassland Ecosystems
- Pacific Northwest Exotic Pest Plant Council, 1998
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, 1999.
- WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council
- California Invasive Plant Council
- California Noxious Weeds
- Colorado Noxious Weeds
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council Category 3
- Idaho Noxious Weeds
- Illinois Noxious Weeds
- Kansas Noxious Weeds
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council Severe Threat
- Maryland Noxious Weeds
- Michigan Noxious Weeds
- Minnesota Noxious Weeds
- Missouri Noxious Weeds
- North Carolina Noxious Weeds Class B
- North Dakota Noxious Weeds
- Nebraska Noxious Weeds
- New Mexico Noxious Weeds
- Nevada Noxious Weeds
- Ohio Noxious Weeds
- Oklahoma Noxious Weeds
- Oregon Noxious Weeds
- Pennsylvania Noxious Weeds
- South Carolina Exotic Pest Plant Council Significant Threat
- South Dakota Noxious Weeds
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council Significant Threat
- Utah Noxious Weeds
- Washington Noxious Weeds
- West Virginia Noxious Weeds
- Wyoming Noxious Weeds
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