Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) is a persistent perennial weed that causes significant crop yield losses.It reproduces through both seed and root regeneration, but the latter is the most successful. Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) (L.) Scop. An aggressive spreader with spear-like foliage topped with pointy, barb-like hairs, this invader does its very best to intimidate. The thistle is disliked by many and branded a weed. Canada Thistle and its Control . Reproduction: Canada thistle spreads quickly through horizontal roots; Each individual plant can produce 1000 to 1500 seeds. Growth habit: Deep-rooted and colony-forming perennial. Legal status: Canada thistle is considered a noxious weed in 46 states including Indiana. Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), is a spreading perennial weed of crops, pastures, and disturbed sites.It is most troublesome in perennial crops, rangeland, and areas where reduced tillage is practiced. Canada thistle is difficult to control because of its reproductive strategies—a perennial plant which reproduces by both seed and vegetative growth. These multiple reproduction strategies enable Canada thistle to quickly dominate an area and outcompete native species. Because of its aggressive nature, it can also invade lawns and gardens. March through April, Canada thistle seeds germinate and grow to form rosettes. This broadleaf weed thrives in crop fields, abandoned fields, poorly maintained lawns, prairies, meadows, vacant lots and along roadsides and railroads. It is a non-native invasive species from Europe, and landowners with Canada thistle on their property are obligated to take measures to control it. Reproduction occurs by windblown seeds and creeping rhizomes. It stores food energy in its extensive root system both to survive the winter and to fuel the plant's reproductive drive the following season. Canada thistle (aka creeping thistle) is a determined weed if ever there was one. Sure, it has attractive purple blooms, but don’t be fooled. Reproduction and spread. The flower heads can prolifically produce seeds for dissemination far and wide, including by wind pollination. New plants can develop from underground shoots and roots longer than 1 cm. Canada thistle leaves are lance-shaped with irregular lobes and sharp prickly margins. One musk thistle plant alone can, for … It also invades wet areas with fluctuating water levels such as streambanks, sedge meadows, and wet prairies. Small localized infestations occurring in Canada thistle seedlings develop a perennial habit (the ability to reproduce from their root systems) about seven to eight weeks after germination. In May, new shoots bolt. It is unwanted due to some thistles' aggressive reproduction ability. Canada thistle invades natural areas such as prairies, savannas, open areas in forests, and dunes if some degree of disturbance already exists. A high priority in Canada thistle management is to focus on early detection and taking immediate measures to prevent establishment. Life Cycle. Plants produce deep creeping roots with buds that give rise to new shoots. Reproduction: Canada thistle reproduce both by seed and vegetatively through creeping roots. Since Canada thistle allocates most of its reproductive energy into vegetative reproduction, this feature can be manipulated to the land manager’s advantage. Seeds will look like white tufts and rante from 2-4mm long. Canada thistle can reproduce by seed and has male and female flowers on separate plants. is an almost perfectly dioecious, perennial plant that can express strong vegetative reproduction by means of its extensive root system. Canada thistle spreads both by seeds and by budding from underground roots. 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