Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Cirsium

Species:

Cirsium occidentale var. occidentale

Growth Characteristics

Height:

150 cm

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

red, pink, purple

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, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from taproots after fire and shows increased flowering in post-fire years. Common colonizer of burned areas.

Source: Claude claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929 Batch

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination and consistent moisture during establishment period.

Source: Claude claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929 Batch