Native Field ThistleCirsium discolor
a.k.a. Field Thistle
Field Thistle is a biennial or short-lived perennial that attracts many types of pollinators. Its seeds are a favorite of Goldfinches. Its floral bracts are softer and less spiky than non-native thistle species. Field Thistle has a tap root and thus does not spread aggressively.
USDA symbol: CIDI
General Information
| Plant Type | Forb |
|---|---|
| Height | 4 to 7 feet |
| Light Exposure | Sun |
| Soil Moisture | Dry, Medium |
| Bloom Color | White, Pink |
Tolerances
| Flooding / Inundation Tolerance | Moderate |
|---|---|
| General Resilience | 8 |
| Salt Tolerance | Medium |
| Stress Tolerance | Drought Tolerant, General Disturbance |
Pollinator Value: Very High
| Bloom Months | September to October |
|---|---|
| Larval Host of | Bees, Moths |
| Specific Pollinators Hosted | Melissodes desponsus, Melissodes rivalis, Paralobesia carduana, Platyptilia carduidactylus |
| Pollinator Benefit | Insect Pollinated, Provides Nectar, Stem Nesting, Supports Generalists |
Project Planning
| Project Type | Rain Garden |
|---|---|
| Coefficient of Conservatism | 3 |
| Herbivore Sensitivity | Low |
| Lifespan | Biennial, Perennial |
| Rate of Spread | Medium |
| Soil Stabilization | Deep |
| Vegetative Reproduction | Weakly Clonal |
Range
| County | Anoka, Becker, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Cass, Clearwater, Cottonwood, Dakota, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Isanti, Jackson, Le Sueur, Marshall, McLeod, Morrison, Mower, Nicollet, Olmsted, Pine, Polk, Ramsey, Red Lake, Redwood, Rice, Sherburne, Sibley, Stearns, Steele, Todd, Wabasha, Wadena, Washington, Watonwan, Winona, Wright |
|---|---|
| Ecoregion | Driftless Area, Lake Agassiz Plain, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Glaciated Plains, Northern Lakes and Forests, Northern Minnesota Wetlands, Western Cornbelt Plains |
| Approximate Eco Province | Eastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands |