Spiny Plumeless Thistle
Carduus acanthoides
- Native to:
- Albania, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Korea, Krym, Libya, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine
Dmitry Makeev
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Carduus
- Species:
- Carduus acanthoides
- USDA Symbol:
- CAAC
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, purple
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), Black and (Bombus auricomus), Brown-belted bumble (Bombus griseocollis), Common eastern (Bombus impatiens), eastern thistle longhorn bee (Melissodes desponsus), Half-black bumble (Bombus vagans), Lemon cuckoo (Bombus citrinus), Northern amber (Bombus borealis), Pyrobombus Dalla, Red-belted bumble (Bombus rufocinctus), 🛑Rusty-patched bumble (Bombus affinis), Tri-colored bumble (Bombus ternarius), Two-spotted bumble (Bombus bimaculatus), Yellow bumble (Bombus fervidus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, seed-eating birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy or loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers disturbed areas with low competition
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 10–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate best with light exposure and cool soil temperatures in spring.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI