Eaton's Thistle
Cirsium eatonii
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Cirsium
- Species:
- Cirsium eatonii
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 4-6 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun, jul, aug, sep
- Bloom Colors:
- White, Pink, Yellow, Purple
Native Range
United States: Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming
Keystone Species Ranking
- Bee Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Central bumble bee (Bombus centralis), Central bumble bee (Bombus centralis), Frigid Bumble Bee (Bombus frigidus), Frigid Bumble Bee (Bombus frigidus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), High country bumble bee (Bombus kirbiellus), High country bumble bee (Bombus kirbiellus), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, rocky or sandy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- often found in mountainous regions
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).
Source: OpenAI GPT-4o