Spear Thistle

A common biennial weed of general amenity turf and neglected surfaces. Its scientific name is Cirsium vulgare. Its leaves are pinnately lobed, dull with many prickly hairs and with prominent spikes (the ‘spear') present on the leaf tip. It has a rough leaf surface, with pustules present. The stem is spiny and the plant develops a tap root. It flowers from July to September, with the flower heads typically having a diameter of about 25mm to 40mm, and being reddish-purple in colour. The flower heads are often single and with a very short smooth stalk, where present.