Cirsium andrewsii
Franciscan thistle
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Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Cirsium andrewsii (Franciscan thistle) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by distinctive coastal habitat, fleshy branched stems, and long phyllary spines.
Franciscan thistle is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in northern Coast Ranges and northern central Coast Ranges in bluffs, ravines, and seeps, occasionally on serpentine at elevations below 100 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces dark red-purple to cream flowers in heads 1.5 to 3 centimeters wide, arranged in loose clusters. Growing 60 to 200 centimeters tall with much-branched stems that are fleshy and initially cobwebby before becoming glabrous, it develops a distinctive branching structure. Its leaves are complex, with lower leaves 30 to 75 centimeters long, generally 1 to 2 times lobed, and upper leaves progressively smaller and more spiny, with ear-like clasping bases and spines up to 15 millimeters long. The fruit is small, approximately 4 to 5 millimeters long with a pappus about 15 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; distinctive coastal habitat, fleshy branched stems, and long phyllary spines
Habitat and range
Habitat: Bluffs, ravines, seeps, occasionally on serpentine
Elevation: < 100 m
Bloom period
Cirsium andrewsii blooms May-Sep.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Carduus: Cirsium has fluffy, feathery seed tufts; Carduus has rough bristles or no pappus and continuous spiny wings down the stem.; vs Silybum: Cirsium leaves are plain green; Silybum has bright white marbling along the leaf veins.; vs Sonchus: Cirsium has thistle-type flowers with spine-tipped bracts; Sonchus has dandelion-like flowers and milky sap.; vs Cynara: Cirsium heads are 1-6 cm across; Cynara heads are massive (4-15 cm, tennis ball sized) with fleshy bases.; vs Centaurea: Cirsium has linear bracts without appendages; Centaurea bracts have fringed or comb-like tips.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cirsium andrewsii native to California?
Yes. Cirsium andrewsii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cirsium andrewsii bloom?
Cirsium andrewsii blooms May-Sep.
What plant family does Cirsium andrewsii belong to?
Cirsium andrewsii is in the Asteraceae family, genus Cirsium.
Is Cirsium andrewsii rare or endangered?
Cirsium andrewsii carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S3.
What habitat does Cirsium andrewsii grow in?
Cirsium andrewsii grows in Bluffs, ravines, seeps, occasionally on serpentine.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.