Canada thistle
(Cirsium arvense)
Canada thistle is a non-native, deep-rooted perennial that spreads by seeds and aggressive creeping, horizontal roots called rhizomes. Canada thistle can grow 2 to 4 feet in height. The leaves are oblong, spiny, bright green, and slightly hairy on the undersurface. Unlike other noxious biennial thistles which have a solitary flower at the end of each stem, Canada thistle flowers occur in small clusters of 1 to 5 flowers. They are about 1 cm in diameter, tubular-shaped, and vary from white to purple in color.
