Wavy-leaf thistle flowers
from July to September, which is a week or two earlier than Floodman thistle.
Wavyleaf thistle tends to be more spiny than Floodman thistle and often
grows to 4 feet in height .
The leaves of wavyleaf thistle are alternate and tipped with yellow spines. This thistle is sometimes called gray thistle because it has a white cast. The surfaces are very pubescent and the margins are strongly undulated or wavy.
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The leaves are
less deeply lobed than Floodman thistle. The stem of wavyleaf
thistle is very pubescent and generally thicker than Floodman
thistle |
Rosette leaves also are very wavy and gray in appearance, unlike Floodman thistle. The underside of the rosette is especially pubescent.
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The flowers
of wavyleaf thistle are larger than Floodman, usually more than
2 inches long. The large globe-shaped heads contain glands that
are tipped with strong yellow spines. The flowers are most often
pink or purple, but there is a white flowered form, f. album
Farwell. |
