Creeping Thistle

It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing 30–100 cm, forming extensive clonal colonies from an underground root system that sends up numerous erect stems each spring, reaching 1–1.2 m tall.

Stems are green smooth and glabrous, mostly without spiny wings. The leaves are very spiny, lobed, up to 15–20 cm long and 2–3 cm broad.

The inflorescence is 10–22 mm diameter, pink-purple. Some plants bear hermaphrodite flowers. The seeds are 4–5 mm long, with a feathery pappus which assists in wind dispersal.