Ontario Wildflowers website

Pitcher's Thistle
Cirsium pitcheri

Pitcher's Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri) Other scientific names: Carduus pitcheri, Cnicus pitcheri

French names: Chardon de Pitcher

Family: Composite Family (Asteraceae)

Group: Thistles

Flowers: Summer;  Yellow;  Indistinguishable parts (petals)

Leaves: Alternate, Simple

Habitat: Fields and Open Areas

Native/Non-native: Native

Status: Pitcher's Thistle is a globally rare species, occurring only within the area of the Great Lakes.

Photographs: 107 photographs available, of which 8 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

Pitcher's Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri)

Pitcher's Thistle flowers are very pale yellow.

Pitcher's Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri)

A Pitcher's Thistle plant.

Pitcher's Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri)

Pitcher's Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri)
Photograph by K Sayers

Flower head just opening.

Pitcher's Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri)
Photograph by K Sayers

Pitcher's Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri)

Pitcher's Thistle plant with leaves only.

This species is quite rare primarily because it grows in sand dunes. Sand dune habitat is frequently extremely degraded by recreational activity.

Pitcher's Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri)

Pitcher's Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri)


Range map for Pitcher's Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)