Nodding thistle (Carduus nutans)

Also called musk thistle, or nodding plumeless thistle.

A spiny, herbaceous, biennial plant, with sharp spines that densely covers the stems and leaf margin, giving the plant a spiny texture. Leaves dark green and bipinnately lobed.
Flower heads are large, red, pink or purple, and usually bend over and ‘nod’ at a 90 degree angle. Each flower can produce up to 1,200 straw-colored seeds that are spread by birds and water. Flowers during summer, from September to April.

Native to Eurasia, now widespread in the Eastern Cape. Aggressive invader that outcompetes native species and has the ability to reduce productivity of pasture and rangeland, by chemically inhibiting the growth of other plants.
Found from sea level to 2,500 m in elevation, in neutral to acidic soils, in meadows, grassland, heavily grazed areas such as pastures, and in disturbed soil such as roadsides and building sites.

Invasives South Africa

Discover in Image