Seasonal Wild Flowers

Slender Thistle

Carduus tenuiflorus

Asteraceae

May to August

Native Slender Thistle is found all round the coast except

for parts of the East.

See the BSBI distribution map for Slender Thistle

It grows on coastal grasslands, sea-cliffs, sea-walls, the

tops of beaches, waste ground and by roads and paths.

Slender Thistle is a native, greyish, spiky, annual or

biennial herb, growing up to 120cm.

Flowers are smallish (up to 9mm), pale pink-purple,

unstalked and in groups of between 3 and 10.

Bracts are spiny and slightly recurved.

Leaves are very spiny and cottony beneath.

Stems are cottony (greyish), spiny and continuously

winged.

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Slender Thistle on a sea-cliff, West Dorset

Greyish appearance

Group of flowerheads

Pale pink-purple flowers

Curved, spiny bracts

Spiked leaves, stems and bracts

Basal leaf

Winged, spiny, cottony stem