Carduus nutans

RHS Plant Profile
musk thistle

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musk thistle RHS
musk thistle RHS

Other common names

buck thistle, dog thistle, bank thistle, ysgallen ogwydd

Plants for pollinators
Annual Biennial
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An upright biennial, with downy stalks, green, divided spiny foliage and spiny bracts. Large, purple, drooping flower heads appear from June to August and are around 3-5cm across. Flowers have no ray florets and the heads are surrounded by a collar of pink flower bracts

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1 year
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H7

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Asteraceae
Native to GB/Ireland
Yes
Foliage
Semi evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Genus
A genus of annual or biennial flowering plants known as 'plumeless thistles', native to Eurasia and Africa, many recognised as a nuisance to agricultural and horticultural crops. They have hairy, spiny upright stems and toothed. lobed foliage topped with rounded, bristly heads in white, pink or purple
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
Eurasia

How to Grow

Cultivation

Occurs naturally in dry, grassy places including verges and dunes, especially on calcareous soils

Propagation

Propagate by seed

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Wildlife gardens
  • Wildflower meadow

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free