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Cirsium occidentale var. candidissimum
Cirsium occidentale (Nutt.) Jeps. var. candidissimum (Greene) J.F. Macbr.
Snowy Thistle
Asteraceae (Aster Family)
Synonym(s): Cirsium candidissimum, Cirsium pastoris
USDA Symbol: CIOCC
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
A white, woolly, prickly plant with rayless, crimson flower heads atop few upper branches terminating main stem.
With its blaze of red flowers accentuated by white foliage, this is perhaps the handsomest thistle among a group considered to be composed of aggressive weeds. The genus name Cirsium comes from the Greek "kirsos," which means "swollen vein," for which thistles were a reputed remedy. Snowy Thistle is one of an intergrading complex of forms and is sometimes considered a subspecies of C. occidentale. The thistles in this group vary, some with less densely hairy foliage, others with grayer hairs; some have white, rose, or purple disc flowers. These various forms occur from northern to southern California.
From the Image Gallery
Plant Characteristics
Duration: BiennialHabit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 6 feet tall.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: White , Red , PinkBloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep
Bloom Notes: Usually red, rarely white or pink.
Distribution
USA: CA , NV , ORNative Distribution: Southern Oregon, northern California, and western Nevada.
Native Habitat: Dry open slopes in brushy or grassy areas and in open woods.
Value to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Native BeesSpecial Value to Bumble Bees
Provides Nesting Materials/Structure for Native Bees
This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Web Reference
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Additional resources
USDA: Find Cirsium occidentale var. candidissimum in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Cirsium occidentale var. candidissimum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cirsium occidentale var. candidissimum
Metadata
Record Modified: 2022-12-23Research By: TWC Staff