Carthamus lanatus

Carthamus lanatus_Woolly distaff thistle_flowerhead_JM DiTomaso
Photo: Joseph DiTomaso

Synonyms: Carthamus lanatus ssp. lanatus

Common names: woolly distaff thistle; false starthistle; saffron thistle; woolly safflower; woolly starthistle

Carthamus lanatus (woolly distaff thistle) is a winter annual forb (family Asteraceae) found in disturbed open sites, roadsides, pastures, annual grasslands, and waste areas. Its spiny foliage can injure livestock. It is primarily found in the northern coast ranges of California.

Cal-IPC Rating: High?

CDFA Rating: -*?

Assessment(s)

Plant Assessment Form - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.

Species ID Card

Invasive Species ID Card - To support field identification of early detection species, Cal-IPC has designed a set of Species ID cards that can be downloaded, printed double-sided, and trimmed to size.

Weed Management Notes

  • Management Notes - Information on management techniques and effectiveness from the University of California Cooperative Extension’s Weed Research & Information Center.

Cal-IPC Newsletter Articles

Cal-IPC Symposium Presentations

Presentations are linked where available. Where a presentation is not available, find more information by reading the abstract in the Cal-IPC Symposia Archive.

Other Carthamus lanatus Information

  • CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.
  • Calflora - Distribution map and records of this species in California.
  • CalWeedMapper - Distribution map of this species in California with ability to determine regional priorities.
  • EDDMapS - Distribution of this species in North America.
  • Jepson Interchange - Information on this plant's taxonomy, biology, and distribution from UC Berkeley's Jepson Herbarium.
  • USDA PLANTS Database - Information on identification and distribution, with links to websites in individual states.
  • Additional photos

    Carthamus lanatus_flower head, leaves, and stem_EricWrubel
    Carthamus lanatus (woolly distaff thistle) flower head, leaves, and stem. Photo: Eric Wrubel
    Carthamus lanatus_involucral bracts_copyright_CDFA
    Carthamus lanatus (woolly distaff thistle) involucral bracts. Photo: &#169 CDFA
    Carthamus lanatus_young rosette_copyright2001_DouglasBarbe (CDFA)
    Carthamus lanatus (woolly distaff thistle) young rosette. Photo: &#169 2001 Douglas Barbe, CDFA