Reasons Bull Thistle is a Problem: It colonizes primarily in disturbed areas such as pastures, roadsides, and ditch banks, but also in hayfields Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing animals such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to smaller animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs. Pigs may be fed hay, but they do not digest it as efficiently as more fully herbivorous animals.Hay
What are the disadvantages of bull thistle?
Overgrazed pastures are susceptible to bull thistle encroachment, and it can sometimes form dense stands that reduce productivity and stocking levels. Bull thistle may also dominate forest clear cuts and reduce growth of tree seedlings. Bull thistle has a two year life cycle, flowering and setting seed in the second year.
What is bull thistle control?
It is a prickly biennial that grows freely in disturbed soils, pastures, ditches, roadsides and unmanaged spaces. The plant has colonized much of North America and is a pest plant in the garden and in agriculture. Bull thistle control can be manual or chemical, with an emphasis on seed control.
What is the life cycle of bull thistle?
Bull thistle may also dominate forest clear cuts and reduce growth of tree seedlings. Bull thistle has a two year life cycle, flowering and setting seed in the second year.
Is bull thistle a problem in hay fields?
Although it is intimidating in appearance and can sometimes form large infestations, this thistle is not as challenging to control as many others and is mainly a problem in hay fields and pastures. Bull thistle is also commonly found along trails, roads and vacant fields.
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Does thistle harm the environment?
Thistles are notorious for draining nutrients from the soil around them, so they can be very damaging to pastures and crops. They also use large amounts of water, so they can make soil dry and increase erosion potential. Global climate change has created a unique opportunity for thistles.
Should I get rid of bull thistle?
These bur-like seeds cling to animals, pant legs, machinery, etc. and get spread around with abandon. For this reason, bull thistle removal is a priority among farmers and meticulous gardeners. Bull thistle starts life as a spiny leaved rosette.
How does bull thistle affect the environment?
The plant reduces desirable plant species, interferes with livestock grazing and has no significant nutritive value. Bull thistle can dominate forests that have recently been clear-cut and become a problem in arable fields after establishment of alfalfa.
What is bull thistle good for?
Beyond its use as a water source, thistle is well known for its ability to treat swelling of joints and tendons. I was pretty impressed by reading a paper by the American Herbalists Guild that describes its use for joint issues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, especially in children.
Is bull thistle toxic to livestock?
Health Risks: Entire plant is highly toxic to humans and livestock, causing vomiting, diarrhea, respiratory issues, and spasms. Description: Large, fleshy plant with long, pointed leaves and large, dark purple strings of berries.
Why are thistles invasive?
Invasive Features In spring, thistles develop a large rosette base that shades the soil and reduces competition from other emerging plants. Additionally, some thistles have allelopathic properties that slow or prevent growth of desirable plant species, thereby allowing these thistles to thrive.
Are thistle weeds good for anything?
Thistle is a very beneficial plant for pollinators. Bees, flies, beetles, and butterflies all like the nectar of the thistle flowers. We have these all over our yard here in Maine.
Are thistles good for anything?
Like many plants in the thistle clade of the botanical family Asteraceae, bull thistles provide ample pollen and nectar resources for butterflies, honeybees, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects like green lacewings. Birds like goldfinches and juncos love their seeds, as do white-tailed deer and rabbits.
Why is bull thistle invasive?
Why is bull thistle a problem? Bull thistle outcompetes native plants and desir- able wildlife. It invades most disturbed habitats such as pastures, roadsides and ditch banks, and grows in dense thickets. Bull thistle is an economic threat by reducing hay quality.
Why is thistle a problem?
They have become major problems in agricultural landscapes and 22 states have designated them as noxious weeds. Thistles do attract pollinators and birds, but the spiny leaves and stems keep grazers away. Some thistles release chemicals into the soil that inhibit the growth of other plants.
Why do thistles cause problems for farmers?
Agricultural and economic impacts Star thistle competes with desirable species in crops and pastures. The large rosettes shade out other species and compete for nutrients. The weed can greatly deplete soil moisture. The plants also produce allelopathic compounds which inhibit the growth of other species.
Do bees like bull thistle?
Bull thistle grows well along roadsides, in pastures, and in disturbed areas. The flowers are a rich nectar source for numerous pollinating insects, including honey bees, and butterflies.
Do cows eat bull thistle?
Potential Effectiveness: Sheep and goats will readily graze bull thistle. Cattle will not graze bull thistle beyond the late bud stage. Grazing works best when combined with a fall herbicide treatment. Grazing reduces plant size, density, and reproductive efficiency.
Can a thistle hurt you?
Milk thistle isn't poisonous. It actually has medicinal uses. The thorns are what hurt you. It's hemlock that can kill you.
How do you get rid of bull thistle in pasture?
Glyphosate: Herbicides containing glyphosate can effectively control bull thistle. Glyphosate will also kill grasses that compete with bull thistle, so treatment with glyphosate should be combined with effective re-vegetation of the site to prevent seedlings from re- infesting the area.
Is bull thistle poisonous to humans?
Bull thistle is moderately toxic. Its seedlings are edible after cooking, but it contains oxalic acid, which can be toxic if eaten for a long time. Its flowers are gorgeous and its fruits are striking. But it is covered with sharp thorns all over the body.
What eats a bull thistle?
What Animals Eat Bull Thistle? Bull thistle leaves are eaten by the white-tailed deer and eastern cottontails. Nectar from the flower is eaten by bees, butterflies, and the ruby-throated hummingbird. Seeds are eaten by small mammals and many types of birds, including the dark-eyed Junco, and the American goldfinch.
Are thistles good for wildlife?
Thistles provide a succession of micro-environments and food for a range of birds such as siskin and insects feeding on green leaves, flower heads, dead heads and stems.
Are thistles good for soil?
Thistle (Cirsium arvense) The thistle family is high in potassium and can therefore benefit the soil when tilled back in or added to the compost pile.
Is it illegal to grow thistles?
It is unlawful to allow the following harmful weeds, listed in the Weeds Act 1959, to spread onto agricultural land: Common ragwort, spear thistle, broad-leaved dock, curled dock, and creeping field thistle. Under section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is an offence to plant or grow Japanese Knotweed.
When should thistles be removed?
Weaken creeping thistle by repeatedly cutting down the top growth over a number of years. This is best done just before the flower heads show colour as much of the weed's food reserves will have been used up in flower production.
How do you manage bull thistle?
Do not leave cut stems of flowering bull thistle on the ground because they are likely to form viable seed after they are cut. Manual control: Bull thistle can be dug up with a shovel. Usually removing the top couple of inches of root is sufficient to kill the plant, especially after it has bolted (produced stems).
Why is thistle a problem?
They have become major problems in agricultural landscapes and 22 states have designated them as noxious weeds. Thistles do attract pollinators and birds, but the spiny leaves and stems keep grazers away. Some thistles release chemicals into the soil that inhibit the growth of other plants.
Why is bull thistle invasive?
Why is bull thistle a problem? Bull thistle outcompetes native plants and desir- able wildlife. It invades most disturbed habitats such as pastures, roadsides and ditch banks, and grows in dense thickets. Bull thistle is an economic threat by reducing hay quality.
What are the leaves of a bull thistle?
Leaves. Bull thistle leaves are coarse on top and soft on the bottom. They are deeply lobed, each lobe has a spine at its tip. Spines extend downward from the leaves along ridges of the stem. Leaves are long near the base and diminish in length as they ascend up the plant.
When do bull thistles bloom?
Each leaf-like structure is tipped with a long, stiff spine. Bull thistle flowers bloom two to three weeks after other thistles. Flower heads can appear as a small clump or solitary at the apex of a stem. Blooms spring to early fall.
How tall does a bull thistle grow?
How to identify bull thistle. Bull thistle ( Cirsium vulgare) is a biennial herbaceous plant (a type of bull thistle) grows between three to seven feet tall. It forms a four to eighteen inch wide rosette in its first year and blooms in its second year.
How long do bull thistle seeds last?
They are dispersed by wind. The seeds survive in soil for more than 10 years.
Do cattle eat bull thistle?
Livestock do not eat it, giving it an advantage over native species. Bull thistle should be reported. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provides detailed recommendations for reporting invasive species.
What is the shape of bull thistle?
Seedling: Cotyledons of the bull thistle are oval-shaped, being broadest at the apex. The early leaves of its young plant are also oval with a spine-like fringe. The second true leaf is dark green and covered densely with white hairs on the upper surface. The next emerging leaves become longer and have similar spine-like lobes.
How tall do bull thistle plants get?
The leaves extending to the stem give the stem a winged appearance. Stems are usually 6/10-9/10 m (2-3 ft) tall, but can get more than 3/2 m (5 ft) tall. Bull thistle mature plant. Photo by Steve Dewey of Utah State University, via Bugwood.org. Winged appearance of bull thistle stem.
What is the name of the weed that kills thistle heads?
The Thistle Head Weevil, Rhinocyllus con icus is a biological control agent effective for managing the growth of this weed. R. conicus is established in the western United States and targets various thistle species. The Bull Thistle gall gly (Urophora stylata) is another biocontrol agent, but it is not yet established in California and is not impactful in other states.
Can bull thistle be grazed?
Mowing may only be an effective form of management if done so immediately before flowering or when plants have just begin to flower, and done fo repeatedly throughout the growing season. Having the areas involving Bull Thistle be grazed by sheep, goats, and/or horses may also be effective, if possible.
What is a bull thistle?
Bull thistle ( Cirsium vulgare) is a plant that is related to the sunflower family but has none of the charm and beauty of those sunny-nodding flower heads. It is a prickly biennial that grows freely in disturbed soils, pastures, ditches, roadsides and unmanaged spaces. The plant has colonized much of North America and is a pest plant in the garden and in agriculture. Bull thistle control can be manual or chemical, with an emphasis on seed control. Learn how to get rid of bull thistle and prevent this prolific weed from taking over your garden.
How many seeds can a bull thistle produce?
The plant has the ability to produce around 5,000 seeds in a season. These bur-like seeds cling to animals, pant legs, machinery, etc. and get spread around with abandon. For this reason, bull thistle removal is a priority among farmers and meticulous gardeners.
Can a stubborn plant arise from ashes?
The stubborn plant can arise like Lazarus from the ashes if hand pulling leaves behind any of the root. Casual removal with this method is likely to leave behind the genesis of a plant in spite of the foliar amputation.
Is bull thistle a biological agent?
In agricultural situations, the introduction of a bull thistle seed head gall fly has been proposed as a biological agent. However, it has been shown to have limited effectiveness. There is also a weevil that is an effective control agent, but it can also affect desired thistle species.
How to prevent bull thistle from spreading?
Prevention: Bull thistle only reproduces by seed so prevention of seeding and takign care not to spread seeds are key to preventing new infestations. Contaminated hay is a primary means of spread of this species so be careful to purchase weed free hay or watch closely for new plants in the areas hay is kept or spread. Do not leave cut stems of flowering bull thistle on the ground because they are likely to form viable seed after they are cut.
Where does bull thistle come from?
Bull thistle is a widespread biennial thistle originally from Europe and Asia, but now introduced throughout North America. Although it is intimidating in appearance and can sometimes form large infestations, this thistle is not as challenging to control as many others and is mainly a problem in hay fields and pastures.
What insect lays eggs on flower buds?
Biological control: The bull thistle seed head gall fly ( Urophora stylata) lays eggs on closed flower buds in June and July. After hatching, the larvae burrow into the seed-prodcuing tissues to feed, forming galls and reducing seed production. If the bull thistle population is large enough to support a good sized population of this insect, it can be an effective way to reduce seed production of the bull thistle. This insect will not get rid of the bull thistle, however, just reduce its impact. See the biological control page for more information.
How long does it take for a bull thistle to grow?
Bull thistle has a two year life cycle, flowering and setting seed in the second year. Seeds are short-lived on the soil surface but can persist for many years when they are buried, such as form cultivation activities. Seed germination generally occurs in the fall and spring. Basal rosettes form and continue to grow until winter and can grow quite large, up to 3 feet in diameter. Rosettes that are not large enough by spring may not flower until the following year. Flowering usually starts in mid-June and continues into early fall. Plants can be self-pollinated or insect-pollinated. Bull thistle does not reproduce vegetatively and does not have rhizomes.
How to control thistle?
Mechanical control: Mowed thistles will produce new branches from basal buds but close cutting or cutting twice per season will usually prevent seed production and reduce the population over time. More more effective control, cut plants with a sharp shovel at 1-2 inches below the soil surface prior to flowering.
Can bull thistle be left on the ground?
Do not leave cut stems of flowering bull thistle on the ground because they are likely to form viable seed after they are cut. Manual control: Bull thistle can be dug up with a shovel. Usually removing the top couple of inches of root is sufficient to kill the plant, especially after it has bolted (produced stems).
Is it legal to control bull thistle in King County?
We can provide advice on how to control bull thistle, but there is generally no legal requirement to do so.
Why is it important to avoid planting bull thistle seeds?
Because bull thistle reproduces primarily by seed, avoiding planting and taking care not to disseminate seeds is essential for preventing new infestations. Because contaminated hay is a common way for this species to spread, be sure to buy weed-free hay or keep an eye out for new plants in the locations where hay is stored or distributed.
Why do bull thistles spread so quickly?
They also spread quickly because their seeds are carried through wind or animals’ fur coats. If you have bull thistle growing on your property, there are several ways you may want to remove it depending on how much time you have available for maintenance.
What does Bull Thistle look like?
Characteristics that make up the Thistle leaf, stem, root and flower are detailed below.
Why do thistles have spiny leaves?
At ground level, most species of thistles have spiny leaves with prickly edges that help protect them from herbivores looking for a meal. Whilst retaining foliage all year round they dominant native plants and begin to invade an area extensively.
How long does a bull thistle live?
The bull thistle has a two-year life cycle, with the second year flowering and seeding. Seeds have a short life on the surface of the soil, but they can live for many years when buried, as in agricultural activities. Fall and spring are the most common times for seed germination.
How to kill bull thistle?
A shovel can be used to dig up bull thistle. When the plant has bolted, removing the top couple of inches of the root is usually enough to kill it (produced stems).
What is thistle weed?
The thistle weed, also known as the common or Scottish thistle, is a flower that blooms during the summer and autumn seasons. It has a green stem with rigid spines and leaves The flower itself can be blackberry pink in colouration.
