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Weeds or wild plants?

Cirsium arvense
Cirsium arvense

Cirsium arvense
Creeping thistle

Cirsium arvense is an aggressive perennial weed of grassland and arable crops. It spreads vegetatively by means of root fragments and until recently seed propagation was thought to be unimportant. Recent genetic studies have indicated that seed may be more important than had been thought. The widespread use of glyphosate pre- and post-harvest has reduced the frequency of this weed. It is visited by a wide range of insects and has some importance as a food source for farmland birds.


Competitivity (seedlings/m2) 16.5
Number of insect species recorded 50
Number of insect families 9
Relative direct importance to birds 1
Occurence Not enough information available

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