Marsh Thistle
Cirsium palustre
- Native to:
- Albania, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, Føroyar, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine
Robert Flogaus-Faust
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Cirsium
- Species:
- Cirsium palustre
- USDA Symbol:
- CIPA6
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 200 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, pink
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)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- wet, peaty, nutrient-rich soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- commonly found in marshes and wet meadows
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily with cold stratification; light may improve germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI