Cotton Thistle

Also known as Scotch Thistle, Heraldic Thistle, Woolly Thistle

Cotton thistle dominates disturbed soils and rangelands with its towering stature, silvery-white woolly foliage, and fiercely spined wings running down the stems. During its first year, it forms a sprawling rosette up to a meter across before bolting in its second summer to produce heavy globose heads of vibrant purple florets. Its dense growth and prolific seed production allow it to displace native vegetation, creating impenetrable, prickly thickets that deter livestock and wildlife.