Vancouver Thistle

Cirsium × vancouverense

Vancouver Thistle

Aaron Bradley 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:
12-20 ft
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
apr, may, jun, jul, aug, sep, oct
Bloom Colors:
White, Pink, Purple

Keystone Species Ranking

Bee Keystone:
★★☆☆☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

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

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).

Source: OpenAI GPT-4o