Cirsium occidentale var. occidentale

Cobwebby thistle, Cobwebby Thistle

Family: Asteraceae · Type: biennial · Native

Cobwebby thistle is a California native biennial found in southern Northern Coast, western Central Western, and western Southwestern California in grasslands, coastal dunes, oak woodlands, and scrublands, typically at elevations below 200 meters. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces lavender to bright purple flowers in large heads approximately 3 to 4 centimeters in diameter. Growing erect with stems 30 to 150 centimeters tall, it develops distinctive cobwebby involucres with needle-like to lanceolate phyllaries that spread outward. Its leaves are arranged to create a striking architectural form, with phyllaries that appear delicately interwoven like spider silk. The flower heads are well-elevated above the plant's lower leaves, creating a dramatic silhouette in its native grassland habitats.

Habitat: Grassland, coastal dunes, oak woodland, scrubland, often disturbed areas

Bloom period: Mar-Jul

Elevation: generally < 200 m

Bioregions: s NCo, w CW, w SW.

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.