THISTLES

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

                                                                             This Week, The Good

Last week we discussed thistles that are considered noxious weeds by the State of Colorado.  This week we will explore the native thistles.  While many people consider any thistle to be a weed, the truth is that native thistles are anything but a weed.  Although like the noxious weeds, natives also have prickly spines that can get you if you’re not careful.  But their sweet nectar serves as essential food for insects, bees and butterflies.  Native thistles are used for medicinal purposes and most are edible.  In fact, Native Americans routinely roasted the roots of thistles to supplement their diets.  During the 1870 exploration of Yellowstone, a member of the expedition, Truman Everts, became separated from his group and lost his horse and all his belongings, except for a small knife and a pair of opera glasses.  Due to the lack of means to secure food, Everts survived almost entirely on Elk Thistle roots for over a month until he was rescued (near death at about 50 pounds) by a member of his expedition. 

In Summit County we are blessed with many native thistles, but we will focus on just a few today. 

The Elk Thistle is a plant that is easily found in meadows.  It grows close to the ground and produces a multitude of yellow flowers.  Since it stays so low to the ground it can be easily overlooked.  You can find this plant throughout the high country. 

You will find the Mountain Thistle at the higher elevations and above timberline.  As you can see from the picture it seems almost alien.  The flowers are large yellowish or slightly pink in color often “nodding” because of its large size and weight.  This is a very beautiful plant.

Like the Elk Thistle, the Eaton’s Thistle can be found throughout the high country.  The plant has clusters of flowers that grow up the stem.  It is sometimes referred to as Frosty Balls. 

Lastly we will look at the Fringed Thistle.  This is my favorite!  The white flower reminds me of dog whiskers.  The Fringed Thistle can be found along roadsides and in drier areas. 

Typically the native thistles will be more “hairy” with light pink or white colored flowers.  The stems will often be a reddish color, especially at the base and in the lower stems.  Unlike the noxious thistles which have bright showy flowers, the natives are more muted in color, seeming to blend into the natural environment.

Next time you are on a hike, take time to stop and look at the thistles.  Not only are they beautiful but they are very interesting to look at.

If you have a small yard that has noxious weeds (not dandelions), go to the Backpack Program link at the top of this page to learn more about our Backpack Sprayer Program.

  

                                                                    WHERE'S THE CREW

Weed treatments are being conducted on County Open Spaces and on C-Dot rights- of- ways.  If you see the crew out and about, slow down and give them a wave.  Thanks and have a great week.