Vancouver Thistle
Cirsium × vancouverense
Aaron Bradley (www.flickr.com) from Vancouver, Canada






Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Cirsium
- Species:
- Cirsium × vancouverense
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, purple
Native Range
Canada
Keystone Species Ranking
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- May resprout from root crown following fire disturbance.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers open, sunny habitats
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate best with light exposure and cool temperatures.
Propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).
Source: Claude AI