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Thistle For More Canada•Musk•Scotch

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Control Information

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THISTLE

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C

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ontrol of Canada, musk, and Scotch Because regulations and methods change

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thistle impacts everyone. These thistles frequently, please contact your county weed

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are not palatable to livestock, they are department or Cooperative Extension office for

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troublesome to recreationists, and they the latest information concerning herbicides

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compete intensely with cultivated crops. and biocontrol to use and how to apply them

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These thistles are tremendously hardy plants. correctly.

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Controlling them requires persistence and an

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understanding of the plants and control UICWMA County Weed Department Offices

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methods. Bannock County Pocatello, ID (208) 251-0049

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Franklin County Preston, ID (208) 852-0653

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Canada thistle cannot be controlled by hand Oneida County Malad, ID (208) 776-3302

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pulling, digging, or tillage due to an extensive Box Elder County Tremonton, UT (435) 279-5258
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root system that is able to reproduce from ○ Cache County Logan, UT (435) 716-8342

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fragmented roots. *Applying either
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Transline®, Curtail®, or Tordon 22K® (re-
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*Chemical recommendations are according to the Montana-
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stricted use) during the rosette to prebloom Utah-Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service 1999-2000
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stages can offer excellent control. Biocontrol
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Weed Management Handbook, Pgs. 214, 272, 273, 274.
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is available and is having
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limited success.
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Musk and Scotch thistle
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can be effectively con-
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trolled by persistent hand
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pulling, digging, or tillage
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prior to seed development.
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*Applying either Escort®,
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Transline®, Curtail®, or
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Tordon 22K® can offer
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good to excellent control
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when applied during the
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rosette to prebloom stages.
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Biocontrol for these thistles
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is available and can be very
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effective in reducing popu-

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lations.
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Designed by:
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Nathan Belliston - November 2004

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Canada Musk Scotch

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CANAD A M USK SC O TCH

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Thistle Thistle Thistle

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C
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M

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anada thistle, Cirsium arvense, is a usk thistle, Carduus nutans, is a bien- cotch thistle, Onopordum acanthium, is

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perennial native of southeastern nial native of southern Eurasia. Ro- a biennial native of Eurasia. Rosettes

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Eurasia. Canada thistle typically begins settes sprouted the previous summer sprouted the previous summer overwin-

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actively growing by early to mid May. Ro- overwinter and begin actively growing by mid ter and begin active growth in late April to

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settes are typically 6 to 10 inches across. to late May. Rosettes may be 7 to 15 inches mid May. First year rosettes may be 5 to 10

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Foliage is deep green and heavily spined. across. Dark green leaves are deeply lobed, inches across. Second year rosettes may be

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Purplish-pink or white flowers bloom from heavily spined and have a prominent light from 1 foot to over 4 feet across prior to stem

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July through October. Canada thistle repro- colored midvien. Large, 11/2 to 2 inch diameter, elongation. Basal leaves may be 2 feet long

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duces primarily through creeping rhizomes purple to rose colored flowers bloom in June and 1 foot wide and have a prominent light
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but also by way of windblown seed. Rhizomes through July. The flower stem is virtually free midvien. Spines are found on leaves and
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spread underground forming close communi- ○

of spines for several inches immediately below stems. Large pinkish-purple flowers to bloom

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ties of Canada thistle plants. Healthy plants the flower and the bloom “nods” off to the side. in June through July. Stems have dense hairs
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may attain heights of 1 to 5 feet. Reproduction is from windblown seed. Mature on them giving the plant a blue-green or
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musk thistle plants may grow from 2 to 7 feet greyish color. Stems are prominently winged
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Canada thistle commonly infests moist areas tall. or ridged. Mature plants will grow 2 to 8 feet
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such as stream corridors, ditch banks, and tall. Reproduction occurs by windblown seed.
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irrigated pastures, as well as field edges, Musk thistle commonly infests pastures, range-
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roadsides, gravel pits, idle fields, and other lands, stream banks, roadsides, and waste Scotch thistle commonly infests pastures,
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disturbed sites from low valleys to near areas from low valleys to alpine elevations. rangelands, field edges, roadsides, stream
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timberline. banks, and waste areas from low valleys to
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alpine elevations.
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