Pictorial guide to the flora of the British Isles

Home ⟩ Pictorial Guide ⟩ Asteraceae / Compositae ⟩ Cirsium arvense / creeping thistle

Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.

creeping thistle (Asteraceae / Compositae)

 SpreadBias within British IslesDirection of bias
Very widespreadNegligible tendencyNW
Plant Atlas 2020
BSBI Distribution Map

Cirsium arvense is a very common thistle, and is one of 5 ‘noxious weeds’ targetted by the 1959 Weeds Act in the U.K. (alongside Rumex obtusifolius, Rumex crispus, Jacobaea vulgaris and Cirsium vulgare).

Skye (VC104: North Ebudes); 1995-08-15

 creeping thistle / Cirsium arvense: _Cirsium arvense_ is a very common thistle, and is one of 5 ‘noxious weeds’ targetted by the 1959 Weeds Act in the U.K. (alongside _Rumex obtusifolius_, _Rumex crispus_, _Jacobaea vulgaris_ and _Cirsium vulgare_).

The inflorescences of Cirsium arvense are narrow; the phyllaries have short recurved tips.

Oxford (VC23: Oxfordshire); 2013-11-04

 creeping thistle / Cirsium arvense: The inflorescences of _Cirsium arvense_ are narrow; the phyllaries have short recurved tips.

In fruit

Oxford (VC23: Oxfordshire); 2008-07-20

 creeping thistle / Cirsium arvense: In fruit

White-flowering variant

Oxford (VC23: Oxfordshire); 2008-07-06

 creeping thistle / Cirsium arvense: White-flowering variant

All images copyright © Christopher J. Dixon unless otherwise indicated.

L-R: Bidens tripartita, Melilotus officinalis, Mimulus guttatus, Thalictrum flavum, Ranunculus peltatus, Anchusa arvensis, Malva alcea, Lolium perenne