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National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Home / Terrestrial Invasives / Terrestrial Plants / Musk Thistle

Musk Thistle

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Musk thistle
Musk thistle, flower - Photo by Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte
Scientific Name: 
Carduus nutans L. (ITIS)
Common Name: 
Musk thistle, nodding thistle
Native To: 
Eurasia (Zouhar 2002)
Date of U.S. Introduction: 
First recorded in 1852 (Zouhar 2002)
Means of Introduction: 
Accidental, possibly through ballast water (Zouhar 2002)
Impact: 
Crowds out native species and forage for livestock (Zouhar 2002)

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) - Musk Thistle
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Provides state, county, point and GIS data. Maps can be downloaded and shared.

Images

Google Images - Musk Thistle
Google.
Invasive.org - Musk Thistle
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.

Videos

YouTube - Weed of the Week: Musk Thistle
Google. YouTube; Ag PhD: Information for Agriculture.

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source. Or, to display all related content view all resources for Musk Thistle.

Council or Task Force
Fact Sheet: Nodding Thistle (Jan 2014) (PDF | 700 KB)
Alberta Invasive Species Council (Canada).
See also: Fact Sheets for more information about individual invasive species, including those listed as "Prohibited Noxious" and "Noxious" under the Alberta Weed Control Act
Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council Invasive Plant Manual - Musk Thistle
Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council.
Partnership
Alaska Exotic Plants Information Clearinghouse (AKEPIC): Species Biography - Musk Thistle and Related Thistle Species (Feb 7, 2011) (PDF | 170 KB)
University of Alaska - Anchorage. Alaska Center for Conservation Science.
See also: Non-Native Plant Species List for additional factsheets (species biographies) and species risk assessment reports of non-native species present in Alaska and also non-native species currently not recorded in Alaska (potential invasives)
Global Invasive Species Database - Carduus nutans (herb)
IUCN. Species Survival Commission. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States - Musk Thistle
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Invasive Species Compendium - Carduus nutans
CAB International.
Texas Invasives Database - Carduus nutans
TexasInvasives.org.
Weeds Australia - Nodding Thistle (Carduus nutans)

Centre for Invasive Species Solutions; Atlas of Living Australia; Australian Government. Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

Federal Government
Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) - Carduus nutans
USDA. FS. Rocky Mountain Research Station. Fire Sciences Laboratory.
PLANTS Database - Nodding Plumeless Thistle
USDA. NRCS. National Plant Data Center.
U.S. National Plant Germplasm System - Carduus nutans

USDA. ARS. National Genetic Resources Program. GRIN-Global.

International Government
NSW WeedWise: Nodding thistle
New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (Australia).
Declared Weeds Index - Nodding Thistle
Tasmania Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water, and Environment (Australia).
State and Local Government
Class B Noxious Weed: Musk Thistle
Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board.
Encycloweedia: Data Sheet - Carduus genus
California Department of Food and Agriculture.
See also: Included on California's noxious weed list; see Encycloweedia: Program Details for additional resources
Field Guide: Invasive - Musk Thistle (Nodding Thistle)
Missouri Department of Conservation.
See also: Problem Plant Control (scroll to Invasive Plants section) for more information to help you identify and control most common invasive plants in Missouri
Invasive Plants in Pennsylvania: Musk Thistle (PDF | 254 KB)

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

See also: Invasive Plant Fact Sheets for plant species (trees, shrubs, vines, herbs and aquatic plants) that have impacted the state's natural lands

Musk or Nodding Thistle (Carduus nutans)

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Noxious Weed Species - Musk Thistle

Colorado Department of Agriculture. Conservation Services Division. Noxious Weed Program.

Academic
Musk Thistle (PDF | 567 KB)
University of Arkansas. Cooperative Extension Service.
See also: Arkansas Forage Management Guides for more factsheets
Natural Resources Series: Range - Musk Thistle
Colorado State University Extension.
Noxious Weed Information - Musk Thistle
Colorado Weed Management Association.
Noxious Weeds of Nebraska - Musk Thistle
University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Cooperative Extension.

Citations

  • Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Carduus nutans. [Accessed Mar 19, 2015].
  • Zouhar, K. 2002. Carduus nutans. In: Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory.