Tall Thistle Seeds (Cirsium altissimum)

For our folks east of the Rocky Mountains...A gorgeously-odd creature of a plant .

Tall thistle is a ridiculously prolific butterfly plant when it is in flower, attracting scores (!!!) of monarchs (as well as fritillaries, swallowtails, painted ladies, and lots of other very diverse flower visitors). Additionally tall thistle is a host plant for the rare swamp metalmark butterfly (Calephelis muticum). Various birds use the thistledown to line their nests. Finches and indigo buntings consume the seeds. Odd cryptic moth caterpillars live within the central stem. These plants rival milkweeds for their wildlife value.

As the name suggests, tall thistle can be strikingly tall. Most sources claim it can reach heights of about 8- to 10-feet, although we have seen it as tall as about 14-feet in favorable settings (typically partially shaded forest edges with rich, fertile soils). Tall thistle is a biennial (sometimes a short-lived perennial), forming a short rosette in the first year, then in the second year developing into a towering plant with multiple, large purple flower heads.

Tall thistle is less spiny than other thistles, and is a plant that has sadly disappeared from numerous locations due to efforts at invasive thistle eradication (including the release of biocontrol agents that have come to attack this beautiful non-invasive native plant).

Best planted within its native range, and well adapted to both full sun and partial shade. Tall thistle can handle both upland sites, and poorly drained areas, and is a vastly under-utilized species in native plant restoration.

50+ seeds (0.5 grams).