California Flora Nursery

Cobweb Thistle - Cirsium occidentale

Seed for the beautiful native Cobwebby Thistle Cirsium occidentale, was
given to us by our friend Charlotte Torgovitsky, a staff member with the
Marin Art & Garden Center. This species of thistle demands good drainage.
The coastal variety of the species grows on sand and the more inland form
grows on "rocky, clayey or sandy soil of grassland or brush" according to
the Sonoma County Flora. It is frequently observed on steep road
cuts, often singly or in small numbers and is never invasive.

We grew and sold a small crop of Cobwebby Thistle, saving one last summer
to plant in a wooden trough garden at the nursery. It has been fun to watch the
flowers form this spring and to find how popular it is with the Anna's Hummingbird.

Charlotte had this to say of the source of the thistle seed she gave us:

"The Cirsium seed came from my own border at Upland Lane in Novato - I've grown
it in various places for several years and would always start more every year - now
it's self-seeding and quite a prolific stand, so I'll be happy to supply you with more
after the Goldfinches take what they need ! Thistles are such amazing habitats onto
themselves - first the ants moved in, and colonized a grayish aphid - then I noticed
lots of little brown beetles - then the Syrphid fly and Ladybird beetle larvae -
sometimes I've had Mylitta Crescent caterpillars - the hummers nectar at them and
Goldfinches time their broods for the ripening of the thistle seed - and lots of
birds use the chaff for nesting material ! Amazing symbiosis in nature !!!"

We hope to be able to offer a crop of the Cobwebby Thistle again at
some future date...

All images and text copyright ©California Flora Nursery


FEBRUARY 2007 || MARCH 2007 || APRIL 2007 || MAY 2007 || JUNE 2007 || JULY 2007
SEPTEMBER 2007