The three most obvious thistles on the wildlife site are Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense), Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) and Marsh Thistle (Cirsium palustre). They are all attractive to a variety of insects and their seeds provide food for birds.
Creeping Thistle is a common weed that is a nuisance mainly because it spreads so quickly and forms clumps if not controlled. It is rare in the hay meadows Fields 1 and 2, but locally more frequent in Fields 3, 4, and 6.
Spear Thistle is also an invasive weed, very rare in the hay meadows, Fields 1 and 2, and a little more frequent in Fields 3 and 4. Where they appear on the Wildlife Site, Spear Thistle and Creeping Thistle are controlled by spot weeding. The photographs of these two species shown below were taken on fields adjacent to the Wildlife Site.
Marsh Thistle is a tall upright plant with prickly stems and leaves. It occurs as isolated plants on the Wildlife Site, mainly in the wet areas, Fields 2, 3 and 6. The nectar rich flowers which form in clusters at the top of the stems are very attractive to insects.
Photographs of Thistles
Click on the photograph for larger images and captions.
Further Information
For further information on the species in this group, please click the links below:
Creeping Thistle Spear Thistle Marsh Thistle
