Swamp Thistle
Cirsium muticum
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Cirsium
- Species:
- Cirsium muticum
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 8-12 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jul, aug, sep
- Bloom Colors:
- White, Purple
Native Range
United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Canada: Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan
Keystone Species Ranking
- Bee Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
⚠️Swamp Metalmark (Calephelis mutica)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), Fernald cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus flavidus), Fernald cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus flavidus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus insularis), Indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus insularis), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), van Dyke bumble bee (Bombus vandykei), van Dyke bumble bee (Bombus vandykei), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, moist, organic soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- commonly found in wetlands and marshes