DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
Scotch/Heraldic Thistle (Onopordum acanthium) (Nox)
Invasiveness Assessment | Impact Assessment | Potential Distribution | Present Distribution
Scientific name: Onopordum acanthium L.
Common name: Scotch thistle, heraldic thistle, cotton thistle
Status: Regionally Prohibited in the North Central and Port Phillip & Westernport (West & East) CMAs.
Regionally Controlled weed in the Glenelg-Hopkins, Corangamite, Goulburn Broken, North East, West Gippsland and East Gippsland CMAs.
Restricted in the Mallee and Wimmera CMAs.
Habitat: Subhumid temperate regions growing well on soils of moderate to high fertility. It occurs as a competitive weed of pastures mostly in winter rainfall areas in the 500 to 850 mm rainfall zone, but does not grow well on waterlogged soils (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992).
Related Links
Further information on the Scotch Thistle can be found on the DPI Website, Pest Plant Notes
Weed Identification Note for Scotch 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.
© The State of Victoria, 1996 - 2008.
This document was last reviewed on 04/09/2008