Bull thistle is the least serious of the introduced thistles in North Dakota, and generally is found in the northern and eastern counties of the state.
Bushy appearance of bull thistle with spiny conical shaped flower heads. The plant is generally found growing solitary in pastures and woodlands.
Double dentate leaf of bull thistle with long stiff spines at each tooth, prickly pubescence along the leaf mid-vein and a broadly winged stem. The wings run completely along the stems unlike musk thistle.
Deeply lobed and very pubescent bull thistle rosette
Common purple and rare white flowering bull thistle. The heads look like large gumdrops with long stiff and very sharp spines.
The achenes are 0.1 to 0.15 inches long, glossy light brown to pale yellow or white with narrow dark brown stripes.
