Species Detail Forb

Flower head Yavapai Ranch - Sue Smith		Yavapai County Native & Naturalized Plants Cirsium wheeleri - Wheeler's thistle Synonyms: Cirsium perennans, Cirsium blumeri Plant Form: Forb or Subshrub Family: Asteraceae
Flower head Yavapai Ranch - Sue Smith


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Plant - basal leaves Yavapai Ranch Sue Smith	Leaves Yavapai Ranch Sue Smith	Plant Max Licher @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA)	Plant Max Licher @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA)

Forb Plant Description

Origin: Native Life Cycle: Perennial
General Desc: Erect plant with one to a few stems with narrow, spiny edged leaves and loose, lavender flower heads borne singly at branch tips.
Identification notes: Plants without rhizomes, pinkish-purple flowerheads, stems not winged, outer phyllaries not reflexed, dilated inner phyllaries and flowerheads solitary at the ends of stems and branches.
Height: To 4 feet

Habitat

Habitat Description: Clearings in pine forests, juniper-dominated woodlands and meadows.
Plant Communities: Pinyon Juniper Woodland, Montane Conifer Forest
Elevation: 5000 - 9000 feet

Flower Characteristics

Color: Pinkish-purple Shape: Daisy or dandelion-like not in clusters Tubular: N Flowering Period: Jun - Oct
Description: The rose-purple or lavender flower heads are made up of tiny, tubular, disc flowers. The bracts are wide and oval-shaped. The flower head is loose to 1-1/2 inches wide and 2 inches long, occurring singly at branch tips.

Leaf and Stem Characteristics

Leaf Color: Dark green Leaf Type: Simple Leaf Shape: Narrow Leaf Margin: Toothed Leaf Attachment: Alternate Leaves Clasp: N
Hairs: Leaves and stems Spines: Y
Leaf Description: The leaves are dark green above and white-woolly beneath with widely spaced, spiny lobes. They are to 6 inches long at base and smaller on upper stem.

Fruit and Seed Characteristics

Fruit Type: Achene
Fruit Notes: Achene has numerous papery bristles measuring about 1 inch.


	Arizona Cooperative Extension Yavapai County 840 Rodeo Dr #C Prescott, AZ 86305 (928) 445-6590	Version 8.0 http://cales.arizona.edu/yavapaiplants/SpeciesDetailForb.php Last Updated: Dec 13, 2022 Content Questions/Comments: Email Matt Halldorson Legal Disclaimer