A patch of bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) are almost in full vogue at the EPA Weeds Garden. We can already see bright purple blooms surrounded by a thorny exterior that stands nearly 6.5 feet tall. The thistle can produce about 100 to 300 seeds per flowerhead, and anywhere from 1 to over 400 flowerheads per plant. The majority of seeds fall close to the base of the plant, while dense patterns of seedlings radiate outward from the mother. The thistle is strongest when flowering, and most resistant to chemical herbicides in this stage of its development.
We invite you to stand tall and vogue like the thistle.