Also called bull thistle, common thistle, Scots thistle, Scottish thistle and Scotch thistle.  It is the ⚘❀ national flower of Scotland.

Part of plume thistle  genus Cirsium in ✽ aster / ✽ daisy / 🌻︎ sunflower  family Asteraceae.

Native to 🇪🇺 Europe, western Asia, and northwestern Africa.   🗺 Map by county (🇺🇸 USA-48) (color key).   Invasive > learn+quiz Invasive > 🌐︎ global Invasive > 🌐︎ various Invasive > 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 Canada+USA Invasive > report it! Invasive > 🇺🇸 USA Invasive > Michigan seeds prohibited in Michigan  Adobe Acrobat Reader file (page 2)

Uses by native peoples
(Ethnobotany database)

Learn more about ♐︎ spear thistle Cirsium vulgare

Control (Maryland)  Adobe Acrobat Reader file (page 9)   Biological Control in Eastern USA  Adobe Acrobat Reader file (page 255)

🔍︎ 🔍︎ images Discover Life Encyclopedia of Life Michigan Flora (Minnesota) Wildflower Garden Minnesota Wildflowers Missouri Plants Flora of North America USDA PLANTS db USFS Wikipedia