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Pasture Thistle Seeds

Cirsium discolor

$6.95
$6.95 $0.00
per Packet
Sale |
ZONES  3-9 | Good to grow! Zone

  • Pasture Thistle is a wild beauty, with soft lavender-pink blooms and silvery spines that shimmer in the sun—bold, elegant, and untamed.
  • A late-summer lifeline for swallowtails, monarchs, bumblebees, and goldfinches, this native biennial is beloved by pollinators and birds alike.
  • Reaching a statuesque height in its second year, it adds vertical interest and texture to meadows, prairie plantings, and native gardens.
  • Drought-tolerant and effortlessly resilient, it thrives in full sun and poor soil—proof that even the most rugged wildflowers can be breathtaking.

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Description

Let the wild bloom beautifully with Pasture Thistle (Cirsium discolor), a native North American wildflower that combines bold structure with essential ecological value. Far from the weedy reputation of invasive thistles, this non-aggressive native is a vital nectar source for pollinators—especially swallowtails, monarchs, bumblebees, and native bees—and a favorite of goldfinches, who flock to its seeds in late summer.

Standing tall at 4–6 feet, Pasture Thistle produces large, fluffy lavender-pink blooms perched atop spiny, silver-green stems that shimmer in the sunlight. Its dramatic form makes it a striking presence in meadows, native plantings, and wild pollinator gardens, while its deep taproot helps it thrive in dry, well-drained soils with minimal care.

This biennial grows as a low rosette in its first year and sends up towering blooms in its second. Its elegant flower heads bloom from mid- to late summer into fall, offering vital late-season resources for migrating butterflies and seed for birds. It plays well in naturalized gardens and adds unique texture and vertical interest where native structure is celebrated.

If you’re restoring habitat, building a native meadow, or simply looking to support local wildlife with a touch of dramatic flair, Pasture Thistle is the unsung hero of the prairie—wild, wonderful, and working hard for biodiversity.

Planting & Care

Learn everything you need to know about growing wildflowers from the experts at American Meadows.

Visit Our Wildflower Learning Center for more helpful guides.

Shipping

As soon as your order is placed you will receive a confirmation email. You will receive a second email the day your order ships telling you how it has been sent. Depending upon your order date, we may hold your shipment to combine it with other products on your order, if applicable. See our shipping information page for approximate ship dates and more detailed information. If you have any questions, please call Customer Service toll-free at (802) 227-7200 or contact us by email or chat.

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Key Features

Light Requirements

  • Full Sun

Bloom Time

Late summer to fall

Life Cycle

Biennial

Advantages

  • Bee Friendly
  • Attracts Butterflies
  • Attracts Birds
  • Attracts Beneficial Insects
  • Native
  • Low Maintenance
  • Deer Resistant

Additional information

Seed Coverage

Packet covers up to 25 sq ft

Mature Height

6 ft tall

Soil Type

  • Average Soil
  • Sandy Soil
  • Clay Soil
  • Well-Drained Soil

Soil Moisture

  • Average
  • Dry

Plant Classification

Native Species

Native To

Central & Eastern North America

Life Cycle

Biennial

Growing Zones

  • Zone 3
  • Zone 4
  • Zone 5
  • Zone 6
  • Zone 7
  • Zone 8
  • Zone 9

Neonicotinoid Free

Yes

Non-GMO

Yes
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