TNPS@plant_native

Standing 6–10 feet tall, 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞 (𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦) is hard to miss when it rises above Tennessee’s late-summer fields and woodland edges. This striking native thistle produces numerous pink to purple flower heads from summer into early fall, often bringing a splash of color when many other wildflowers are fading. Despite its intimidating name and spiny leaves, Tall Thistle is a valuable part of Tennessee’s native flora.

Look closely and you’ll find some excellent identification clues. Its large leaves are mostly unlobed or shallowly lobed, with spiny margins and often a distinctive white, woolly underside. Tall Thistle occurs in a variety of Tennessee habitats, including woodland edges, old fields, pastures, bottomlands and other open sites.

Tall Thistle is also a welcome resource for wildlife. Its flowers provide nectar for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, while its seeds are eaten by birds. So the next time you encounter a towering thistle along a Tennessee trail or field edge, take a closer look. You may be seeing one of our own native thistles at work supporting Tennessee’s wildlife.

Photos by Keith Bradley, Theo Witsell, and Dwayne Estes