Common names:
New Mexico thistle, desert thistle, powderpuff thistle, lavender thistle
Family:
Scientific name:
Cirsium neomexicanum
Main flower color:
Range:
East California, west to (southwest) Colorado and New Mexico
Height:
Up to 6 feet
Habitat:
Deserts, roadsides, canyons
Leaves:
Spiny, grey-green, pinnately lobed, up to 7 inches long, growing mostly around the base of the stem
Season:
April to May
The large, pink (less often reddish or white) blooms of cirsium neomexicanum grow at the end of a tough, fibrous stalk, and consist of numerous disc flowers pointing upwards and outwards above the spiky green phyllaries (modified bracts), which radiate outwards and downwards, terminating in a yellow-brown spine. Flowerheads measure up to 2 inches in diameter. The leaves are typical of thistle species, being spiny, hairy (cobweb-like), and pinnately lobed; they grow mainly around the base. The plant is classed as a noxious weed in some areas, but is less of a problem than many other species.
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