Spear thistle  (Cirsium vulgare)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Biology

The spear thistle is a perennial species. Seedlings appear from autumn to April and they do not begin to flower until their second year of growth (4). Flowers are produced from July to September (6), and are pollinated by long-tongued bees, hover-flies and butterflies (2). After the seeds have been produced, the flowering stems die back (4).

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