Scolymus hispanicus

Common goldenthistle

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes

Common goldenthistle is a naturalized perennial found in southeastern Sacramento Valley, northern Central Coast, and San Francisco Bay Area in disturbed grassy areas at elevations below 100 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces yellow flowers in compact clusters nestled within leaf axils. Growing with stout stems 20 to 220 centimeters tall, it develops rigid stems with prominent spiny leaves. Its basal leaves can reach up to 45 centimeters long, deeply lobed with soft textures and weak spines, while cauline leaves are shorter, oblong to ovate, with strong veining and sharp dentate edges. The fruit is small, club-shaped, and approximately 3 to 5 millimeters in length.

Habitat: Uncommon. Disturbed grassy areas

Bloom period: May-Aug

Elevation: < 100 m

Bioregions: se ScV, n CCo, SnFrB

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