October 2026 Plant of the Month
Cirsium discolor (Muhl.) Spreng., Field Thistle
The October Plant of the Month is a common biennial found state-wide. Field thistle is a native thistle found in moist meadows and fields, open forests, roadsides, and disturbed soils. Hough (1983) mapped its distribution with herbarium specimens from every county except Atlantic and Cumberland. The specimen above was photographed on a dry road shoulder in a Tuckahoe River Fish and Wildlife Management Area, Estelle Manor Atlantic County.
The genus Cirsium is represented in New Jersey by eight species, three of which are not native to the state. Field thistle is differentiated from other thistles by white tomentose hair on the underside of the leaf and deeply cut lobed leaves. It is separated from the infrequent Cirsium virginianum and Cirsium altissimum by deeply cut leaf form and flowering head surrounded by leafy bracts. Both Cirsium virginianum and C. altissimum have single heads on extended flowering stems.
Early Native American used the thistles for a variety of purposes including medicine, food, and fiber. Moerman (1998) identifies its use by Iroquois for skin ailments and for hemorrhoids. Thistles are late summer and early fall flower species. Find this species in open meadows and road side before the frost terminates the season.
Look for our Plant of the Month in rich, open meadows, roadsides and lakesides where it’s white flowers will be visible. Silky dogwood flowers mid to late summer, and at the time of the writing it was in full flower.
JRA,9/2026
