Mojave Thistle
Cirsium mohavense
Also known as: Rusby's Thistle
- Native to:
- Mexico, United States
iNaturalist: © coreyjlange (iNaturalist #26540851)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Cirsium
- Species:
- Cirsium mohavense
- USDA Symbol:
- CIMO
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Biennial | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 200 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pink, lavender
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) Hummingbirds: Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) Moths:White-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) Butterflies:⚠️Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), Queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus), Yuma Skipper (Ochlodes yuma)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from rootstock following fire; common in wetland and riparian areas that experience periodic burns.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to arid desert regions
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 following cold stratification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI