It is well known for its irregular lobbed, lance-shaped leaves. Beyond that, I am sure Canadian thistle has plenty of uses and value in ecosystems. ( Log Out /  The marsh thistle, as its name alludes to, likes damp conditions such as fens, marshes, canal tow-paths and riversides. Canada thistle spreads rapidly through horizontal roots that give rise to large infestation patches nearby and out-competing native plants. Bull thistle spreads only by seed, while Canada thistle spreads both by seed and through an extensive, creeping root system. We get many European skippers visiting our plants. Scientific name: Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Cirsium+arvense, Pingback: Weeding for dinner | mountainbrideblog. Other important considerations include treatment effectiveness, overall cost, Uses for Canadian Thistle Canadian thistle, otherwise known as "Cirsium arvense," is a native plant of the Mediterranean region and southeast Europe. I'm sure its tap root is quite good for loosening and building soil. Harvesting notes Canada thistle is a creeping perennial that reproduces from vegetative buds in its root system and from seed. The nectar and pollen of native thistles are incredibly valuable food sources to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. According to legend, an invading Norse army was attempting to sneak up at night upon a Scottish army's encampment. For example, Canada thistle is still prominent in the corn-soybean and spring wheat-corn-soybean rotations, even with extensive use of herbicides and til… Many insects feed on the leaves, stems, flowers and seeds, while some songbirds also feed on thistle seeds. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Product selection is more important in the fall as mowing timed for bud to early-bloom stage. As a biennial, Bull Thistle forms a small rosette just above ground level in its first year of growth, before … Removal of low growing tree branches will make directed applications easier and less likely to injure trees. See Herbicides for Californian Thistle Control for more information. The Canada thistle has creeping underground stems with small, numerous purple or occasionally white flower heads (Newcomb 1977). THISTLE, SCOTCH Botanical: Onopordon acanthium Family: N.O. The roots of first year plants can be eaten raw or cooked. Figure 1. Common names: Canada thistle, Californian thistle, Canadian thistle, creeping thistle, field thistle, corn thistle, perennial thistle, field thistle, Native To: Europe (Nuzzo 1997) Red Root Mountain School of Botanical Medicinegives some examples: In The Wild Wisdom of Weeds, thistle is promoted as a liver tonic, alkalizing food and general tonic for many conditions. Italian Thistle Honey or Cardoon Honey – Miele de Cardo All recreational use of these herbs is dangerous. A decoction of the roots has been used to treat worms in children. Thistles, in this case Cirsium horridulum (SIR-see-um hor-id-YOO-lum) are among the hardest to gather of wild foods, Black Walnuts probably being the worst. The generic name Cirsium is derived from the Greek word kirsos which means 'swollen vein' (Clark, 1998). Painted Lady butterflies prefer thistles as food plants for their larva. Wildlife Uses. From the Latin hepaticus derived from the Greek hepar meaning (not too surprisingly) the liver. Current Status. The other is Canadian Thistle (Cirsium arvense), a perennial. A number of herbicides are registered for use on Californian thistle in Tasmania. However, recent research has shown that commercial samples can be high in mycotoxins. 16; Milk thistle may speed up the metabolism of some pharmaceuticals. The generic name Cirsium is derived from the Greek word kirsos which means 'swollen vein' (Clark, 1998). by Katrina Blair. Canadian thistle is a little different. One treatment or a combination of treatments may need to be used to control populations depending on the site. Canada thistle grows naturally throughout most of Canada and much of the northern and western United States. References Planting date: Most likely will not affect Canada thistle infestations. Canada thistle is difficult to control once it is established on a site. • Northern Distribution Map (PDF | 240 KB) / Invasive Species Maps They are nutritious but rather bland, and are best used in a mixture with other vegetables. Means of Introduction: Possibly accidental through farm seed shipments The stems of Canada thistle lack the conspicuous spiny wings found on bull thistle (C. vulgare) Canada thistle, also referred to as Canadian thistle, creeping thistle or field thistle, originated in Europe and was brought over to North America in the 1600s. Today thistles are used in homeopathy and for liver problems. This perennial plant grows by spreading its seeds and underground rhizomes. Some sources suggest the specific occasion was the 1263 Battle of Largs, which marked the beginning of the departure of King Haakon IV (Haakon the Elder) of Norway who, having control of the Northern Isles and Hebrides, ha… A couple of days ago, I connected with a large field of wild Canadian thistle. ( Log Out /  It stores food energy in its extensive root system both to survive the winter and to fuel the plant's reproductive drive the following season. Learn More. 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