Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Roadsides, fields, forest edge, ditches, balds, prairies, wastelots, and other disturbed, open areas.

Flowers: June-September

Origin: Introduced from Eurasia

Growth Duration: Biennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, butterflies, beetles, hummingbirds

Stout biennial, 3-15 dm. tall, the stem conspicuously spiny-winged from the bases of the leaves and covered with stiff, blunt hairs.

Leaves pinnatifid, the largest again toothed or lobed; leaves covered with short, pointed hairs above and thinly white-woolly below.

Heads several; involucre 2.5-4 cm. high, all its bracts spine-tipped; flowers all ligulate, purple or rarely white.

Achenes less than 4 mm. long.