Distribution: Occurring in scattered locations on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, ditches, wastelots, and other disturbed, open areas.
Flowers: June-October
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Growth Duration: Biennial, Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Biennial herb 3-25 dm. tall, the stem winged from the leaf bases.
Leaves deeply lobed, up to 40 cm. long and 15 cm. wide, mostly glabrous.
Heads mostly solitary and nodding at the ends of the branches, the disk usually 4-8 cm. wide; middle and outer involucre bracts broad, 2-8 mm. wide, with long, flat, spiny tip, the mid-rib very prominent; inner bracts narrower and softer, often purplish; flowers purple; pappus capillary, not plumose.
Achenes glabrous.
Publication: Sp. Pl. 2: 821. 1753.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Carduus nutans in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.
WA Flora Checklist: Carduus nutans checklist entry.
OregonFlora: Carduus nutans information.
E-Flora BC: Carduus nutans atlas page.
CalPhotos: Carduus nutans photos.
USDA Plants: Carduus nutans information.
