Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans)

Milk Thistle (Carduus Nutans)

A member of the sunflower family Asteraceae. It is a biennial herb with showy red-purple flowers and sharply spiny stems and leaves.

Structure: Stalk 1′ to 3′ tall, growing from rosette

Life Cycle: Biennial – rosette in first season, then growing tall

What To Look For: Rosette of long, spiky leaves, large purple flowers on spike-covered stem

Growth Period: Flowers from June through September