Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Cressler, Alan

Cirsium carolinianum

Cirsium carolinianum (Walter) Fernald & B.G. Schub.

Carolina Thistle, Soft Thistle, Purple Thistle, Smallhead Thistle

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s): Carduus carolinianus, Cirsium flaccidum

USDA Symbol: CICA7

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

From the Image Gallery

2 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial , Biennial
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: To about 6 feet in height.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul
Bloom Notes: Flowers usually purple-pink to magenta, occasionally white.

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MO , MS , NC , OH , OK , SC , TN , TX , VA

Additional resources

USDA: Find Cirsium carolinianum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Cirsium carolinianum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cirsium carolinianum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2015-08-14
Research By: Joseph A. Marcus

Go back