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Yellow Thistle

Cirsium horridulum

Yellow thistle is a bold native thistle with large, spiny-collared yellow (sometimes pink-purple) flower heads in spring, a magnet for bees and butterflies and a seed source for goldfinches. A dramatic, deer-proof native.

Family
Asteraceae
Type
wildflower
Lifespan
biennial
Height
1–4 ft
Spacing
1–2 ft apart
Light
sun
Soil moisture
dry, moist
Soil pH
neutral
Bloom
March, April, May, June
Bloom colors
yellow, purple
Wildlife value
pollinators, butterflies, songbirds
Landscape uses
border
Native states
AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, LA, MA, MD, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA