North Carolina Wildflowers

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages


Like many species of thistles, Virginia Thistle is very attractive to butterflies seeking nectar.

Asteraceae (Compositae) > Cirsium (thistle)

Virginia Thistle (Cirsium virginianum) Virginia Thistle (Cirsium virginianum)
Craven Co., NC
28 Aug 2005

Found mostly growing in pine savannas in the eastern half of the state, this species is somewhat uncommon in North Carolina.

Virginia Thistle (Cirsium virginianum) Virginia Thistle (Cirsium virginianum)
Craven Co., NC
27 Aug 2006
Virginia Thistle (Cirsium virginianum) Virginia Thistle (Cirsium virginianum)
Craven Co., NC
27 Aug 2006
Virginia Thistle (Cirsium virginianum) Virginia Thistle (Cirsium virginianum)
Pender Co., NC
13 Sep 2009

Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
Orange Co., NC 7/20/2005

Although not native to the U.S. and considered by several states to be a Noxious Weed, Bull Thistle is a great butterfly nectar source, as this Clouded Skipper can attest to!

Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
same as above

Yellow Thistle (Cirsium horridulum) Yellow Thistle (Cirsium horridulum)
Pender Co., NC
24 April 2004
Yellow Thistle (Cirsium horridulum) Yellow Thistle (Cirsium horridulum)
Harnett Co., NC
21 May 2006
Yellow Thistle (Cirsium horridulum) Yellow Thistle (Cirsium horridulum)
Harnett Co., NC
21 May 2006

Sandhill Thistle (Cirsium repandum) Sandhill Thistle (Cirsium repandum)
Scotland Co., NC
1 Oct 2006

Grows in dry sandy habitats in the NC sandhills region.

Sandhill Thistle (Cirsium repandum) Sandhill Thistle (Cirsium repandum)
Scotland Co., NC
1 Oct 2006


Cirsium sp.
Orange Co., NC
12 Sep 2007
Cirsium sp.
Orange Co., NC
12 Sep 2007


Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Common names from personal experience and supplemented by the following resources USDA plants website, Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and NatureServe.


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Created on May 7, 2006 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com