DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
Nodding Thistle (Carduus nutans) (Nox)
Invasiveness Assessment | Impact Assessment | Potential Distribution | Present Distribution
| Scientific name: Carduus nutans L. Common name: Nodding thistle, musk thistle Status: State Prohibited Weed. Habitat: Open situations in temperate regions, usually on soils of moderate to high fertility in areas with annual rainfall of 500 mm to 900 mm. It has become an invasive, competitive weed in well drained annual pastures where there are disturbed sites at the end of summer. In Europe, nodding thistle tends to occur on dry calcareous soils, mostly along roadsides and in neglected pastures. In Australia, nodding thistle commonly occurs on soils derived from Tertiary basalt parent material and less commonly on soils derived from granite. In general the species occurs on hilltops and slopes, on deep well drained soils lacking compacted horizons. Related Links Further information on the Nodding Thistle can be found on the DPI Website, Pest Plant Notes Weed Identification Note for Nodding Thistle - on the Weeds Australia website (external link). Information is provided on the generalised current distribution in Australia as well as other information such as origin, distinguishing features, dispersal etc. |  Nodding Thistle |
 Nodding thistle flower |  Nodding thistle plants |
© The State of Victoria, 1996 - 2008.
This document was last reviewed on 24/09/2008