Cirsium rivulare is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to eastern and western Europe, adventive in Britain, and naturalised in Sweden and Belgium.[1]

Cirsium rivulare
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Cirsium
Species:
C. rivulare
Binomial name
Cirsium rivulare

Growing to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) tall, this erect herbaceous perennial is a clump-forming thistle, with narrow grey-green prickly leaves and small purple globular flowerheads in early to midsummer.[2]

The Latin specific epithet rivulare means "brook loving".[3] The plant prefers moist conditions but can tolerate some dryness.

The cultivar Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum', with deep crimson flowers, has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[4] It is very hardy down to at least −20 °C (−4 °F) (RHS rating H7), and thrives in full sun.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Cirsium rivulare". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture.
  2. ^ Brickell, Christopher (2008). The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants (3rd ed.). United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9781405332965.
  3. ^ Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN 184533731X.
  4. ^ "Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum'". RHS. Retrieved 12 April 2020.