Stem

Up to 4 ft. tall, stiff, highly branched, bushy and covered with hairs; NO wings on upper stems

Leaves

Alternate; 4-8 in. long, mostly pinnate-divided, covered with short grayish hairs and dotted with resin

Flower

Pink to purple, each located at the tip of a branch; base of flower is vase-shaped, 0.75-1 in. long, 0.25 in. wide and covered with stout, straw-colored spines 0.4-1 in. long

Root

Deep, stout taproot

Other

Grows best in sites with heavy, fertile soils; often infests rangelands, waste areas and roadsides; not known to occur in Nevada
Annual, biennial or perennial; reproduces by seed; older rosettes have a circle of straw-colored spines at the center
Closely resembles Iberian starthistle in everything except seed; seed of Iberian starthistle has plume of bristles extending from one end, purple starthistle does NOT

Control

Mowing plants in bud to flower stage can reduce seed production; repeated hand removal can be effective; DO NOT burn
Apply 2,4-D, clopyralid, dicamba, or glyphosate in the rosette stage; aminocyclopyrachlor, aminoyralid, picloram or sulfometuron preemergence to rosette stage

Blecker, L., Creech, E., Dick, J., Gephart, S., Hefner, M., Kratsch, H., Moe, A., Schultz, B. 2020, Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Purple Starthistle, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Field Guide

Extension Associated Contacts

Heidi Kratsch

Also of Interest:


Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Canada thistle Canada thistle is a noxious weed that has been identified by the state of Nevada to be harmful to agriculture, the general public, or the environment. Learn more about this weed. Blecker, L., Creech, E., Dick, J., Gephart, S., Hefner, M., Kratsch, H., Moe, A., Schultz, B. 2020, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Field Guide
Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Malta starthistle Malta starthistle is a noxious weed that has been identified by the state of Nevada to be harmful to agriculture, the general public, or the environment. Learn more about this weed. Blecker, L., Creech, E., Dick, J., Gephart, S., Hefner, M., Kratsch, H., Moe, A., Schultz, B. 2020, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Field Guide
Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Perennial sowthistle Perennial sowthistle is a noxious weed that has been identified by the state of Nevada to be harmful to agriculture, the general public, or the environment. Learn more about this weed. Blecker, L., Creech, E., Dick, J., Gephart, S., Hefner, M., Kratsch, H., Moe, A., Schultz, B. 2020, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Field Guide
Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Yellow starthistle Yellow starthistle is a noxious weed that has been identified by the state of Nevada to be harmful to agriculture, the general public, or the environment. Learn more about this weed. Blecker, L., Creech, E., Dick, J., Gephart, S., Hefner, M., Kratsch, H., Moe, A., Schultz, B. 2020, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Field Guide
A Northern Nevada Homeowner’s Guide to Identifying and Managing Russian Thistles Guide to identifying and managing Russian thistles which grows into a bushy, prickly plant that breaks off at ground level and rolls with the wind when mature. Donaldson, S., Hanson Mazet, W. 2010, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno FS-10-31

Associated Programs

Master Gardeners of Nevada

Program trains local gardeners to provide research-based horticulture information to Nevadans

Master Gardeners of Washoe County

Master Gardeners provide free, research-based horticulture information to Nevadans.

Grow Your Own, Nevada!

Learn the secrets of high desert gardening

Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Purple Starthistle