Wyoming thistle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wyoming thistle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cirsium
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| Species: |
pulcherrimum
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| Synonyms | |
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The Wyoming thistle, also known by its scientific name Cirsium pulcherrimum, is a type of plant found in North America. It belongs to the thistle tribe and is part of the large sunflower family. This plant naturally grows in the western United States. You can mostly find it in Wyoming, but it also grows in nearby states like Montana, Colorado, eastern Idaho, western Nebraska, northeastern Utah, and the Black Hills of South Dakota.
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Discover the Wyoming Thistle
The Wyoming thistle is a perennial plant. This means it lives for more than two years and can bloom many times. Unlike some other thistles that die after flowering once, the Wyoming thistle keeps coming back!
What Does it Look Like?
This plant can grow quite tall, reaching up to 90 cm (about 3 feet). It has a strong, deep taproot that helps it get water and nutrients from the soil. Its leaves can be up to 25 cm (10 inches) long. Be careful, though, as the edges of the leaves have thin spines!
Its Unique Flowers
The Wyoming thistle has several flower heads. These flowers can be pink, purple, or cream-colored. They have disc florets, which are the small, tube-shaped flowers in the center of the head. However, they do not have ray florets, which are the petal-like flowers you see on the outside of a daisy or sunflower.
Different Kinds of Wyoming Thistle
Just like some animals have different breeds, plants can have different varieties. The Wyoming thistle has two main varieties:
- Cirsium pulcherrimum var. aridum (Dorn) D.J.Keil
- This variety is found in specific counties in Wyoming, including Carbon, Fremont, and Sweetwater Counties.
- Cirsium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum
- This is the more common variety and grows across most of the plant's natural range.
