Cirsium muticum

Swamp thistle prefers full sun, wet to moist conditions and grows best in sandy soil. This thistle has fewer spines than some and is much easier to control than other thistles.

Wildlife value: The thistle is a high-value nectar plant for bees and butterflies and the songbirds eat the seeds and use the tufts of the seeds for their nests. The seeds are rich in oil, an important food source for seed-eating birds. It is the host plant for the Swamp metalmark moth and the Painted lady butterfly as well as beetles, grasshoppers, and weevils. Flowers are also attractive to hummingbirds. Supports specialized bees