Scientific Name
Cirsium pyrenaicum (Jacq.) All.
Synonym(s)
Carduus jacquinii, Carduus paniculatus, Carduus pyrenaicus, Cirsium castellanum, Cirsium flavispina, Cirsium matritense, Cirsium paniculatum, Cirsium pyrenaicum subsp. pyrenaicum, Cirsium pyrenaicum var. pyrenaicum, Cnicus pyrenaicus
Common Name(s)
Pyrenean Thistle
Scientific Classification
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Cynareae
Genus: Cirsium
Origin
Cirsium pyrenaicum is native to France, the Iberian Peninsula, and northwest Morocco.
Flower
Color: Purplish
Bloom Time: June to July
Description
Cirsium pyrenaicum is a rhizomatous perennial plant that grows up to 5 feet (1.5 m) tall. Leaves are green, lance-shaped, and have spiny edges. Flowers are purplish and appear from June to July.

How to Grow and Care for Cirsium pyrenaicum
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zone 3a to 8b: from −40 °F (−40 °C) to 20 °F (−6.7 °C).
You can sow Cirsium seeds in autumn or after the last spring frost. Sow them at a depth of 0.12 inches (3 mm). If grown indoors, Cirsium takes about 2 to 3 weeks to germinate at 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 24 degrees Celsius). The seedlings are planted in early spring, when frost is still possible, with spacing of about 2 feet (60 cm).
Cirsium thrives in full sun and poor, average, or rich soil that is moist but well-drained. Plants require little care, but deadheading limits their tendency to self-sow. They generally self-sow only in moderation, and unlike weedy thistles, the seedlings are easy to pull up. Use Thistles in mixed beds, herb gardens, or meadow-like plantings.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Thistles (Cirsium).
Links
- Back to genus Cirsium
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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