Purple Thistle
All About the Purple Thistle
The purple thistle is perennial or biennial in most areas where it is found. It grows to a height of about three or four feet. The flowers on a purple thistle actually are not always purple. They are sometimes found in cream/tan, pale yellow, mauve or pale pink in color.
Birds, butterflies and bees are attracted to the purple thistle, and aid in its spreading to different areas. This plant is fairly tolerant of droughts, and does well if you water it regularly but do not over-water it. You will want to take off dead blooms if you want the plant to keep blooming throughout its growing season.
Purple thistle generally grows alongside roads, and is a common sight in the Southern United States, especially in the spring months. It has a tall stem that branches out well, and large flowerheads with clasping, spiny leaves. The heads of the flowers are surrounded by leaves that are spiny, narrow and erect. The leaves are usually about six to ten inches long, without stalks, and they clasp the stem. The purple thistle is often found along the edges of marshes and in pastures that have been overgrazed. Basically, disturbed soil not in current use for crops or pastures is up for grabs by the thistles.
This plant is found most easily in areas of Florida, Texas and Louisiana. The plants which grow near coastal waters may have flowerheads that are yellow in color, where the plants that grow more inland have flowerheads that are purple.
The head of the purple thistle's flower is made up of hundreds of flowers that are tubular in shape. It is prized by butterflies, beetles and bees, most of which are attracted to the nectar.
The purple thistle as a young plant has green leaves that are pale and waxy in appearance. They hold prickles that are irregular in their shape. As these plants grow, the leaves will appear to be cut more deeply, and you will notice that the margins will be tipped with sharp, stiff spines. The tissue of the leaf will become more glossy as the plant gets older, and hair may be seen on the leaves. The flowerheads become tipped with spines, and will usually be purple, but can be several other colors. The flowers will usually attain a size of one to two inches across.
The purple thistle is more often grown purposefully than most of the other thistle plants that are regarded as noxious weeds. It is capable of intruding into unkempt fields and pastures, but some people also plant it for its beauty and for the birds and insects it attracts. The purple thistle is a hardy plant that will give bird-watchers many years of service, because it grows like a weed.