Musk thistle is a spiny biennial with large, nodding purple flowers. It's a noxious weed in Oklahoma and common in pastures and neglected lots.
- Scientific name
- Carduus nutans
- Type
- Biennial broadleaf
- Most visible
- April–July
How to Identify Musk Thistle
- Spiny, deeply lobed leaves with white margins
- First-year rosette, then tall flowering stem
- Large purple flowers that nod downward
- Spiny wings along the stem
When It Shows Up in Oklahoma Lawns
Forms a rosette the first year and flowers the second spring or summer.
How to Control Musk Thistle
- Dig out rosettes before they bolt
- Mow or cut before flowers set seed
- Spot-treat with a selective herbicide labeled for the weed and safe for your grass type, following the label exactly