Top native thistles and allies
71 species, native to the US, ranked by caterpillars, then bees and other hosts, food, flowers and shelter.
-
Bristle Thistle
Cirsium horridulum
caterpillars
25
bees
10
hosts
1
food
14
flowers
164
-
Field Thistle
Cirsium discolor
caterpillars
22
bees
9
hosts
1
food
17
flowers
148
-
Swamp Thistle
Cirsium muticum
caterpillars
22
bees
9
hosts
1
food
13
flowers
113
-
Wavyleaf Thistle
Cirsium undulatum
caterpillars
21
bees
23
hosts
3
food
18
flowers
162
-
Tall Thistle
Cirsium altissimum
caterpillars
21
bees
10
hosts
1
food
15
flowers
139
-
Flodman's Thistle
Cirsium flodmanii
caterpillars
20
bees
9
hosts
1
food
13
flowers
120
-
Soft Thistle
Cirsium carolinianum
caterpillars
20
bees
6
hosts
1
food
12
flowers
87
-
Virginia Thistle
Cirsium virginianum
caterpillars
20
bees
5
food
9
flowers
72
-
Pasture Thistle
Cirsium pumilum
caterpillars
19
bees
9
hosts
1
food
11
flowers
126
-
Pitcher's Thistle
Cirsium pitcheri
caterpillars
19
bees
5
hosts
1
food
9
flowers
86
-
Prairie Thistle
Cirsium canescens
caterpillars
17
bees
12
hosts
1
food
14
flowers
123
-
Engelmann's Thistle
Cirsium engelmannii
caterpillars
17
bees
5
hosts
1
food
10
flowers
79
-
Sandhill Thistle
Cirsium repandum
caterpillars
15
bees
5
food
9
flowers
64
-
Yellowspine Thistle
Cirsium ochrocentrum
caterpillars
14
bees
13
hosts
1
food
16
flowers
134
-
Texas Thistle
Cirsium texanum
caterpillars
14
bees
7
hosts
1
food
13
flowers
88
-
Nuttall's Thistle
Cirsium nuttallii
caterpillars
14
bees
3
food
11
flowers
93
-
Le Conte's Thistle
Cirsium lecontei
caterpillars
14
bees
3
food
10
flowers
71
-
Elk Thistle
Cirsium scariosum
caterpillars
13
bees
19
hosts
1
food
14
flowers
119
-
New Mexico Thistle
Cirsium neomexicanum
caterpillars
13
bees
15
hosts
1
food
13
flowers
123
-
Short-styled Thistle
Cirsium brevistylum
caterpillars
12
bees
18
food
10
flowers
99
-
Wheeler's Thistle
Cirsium wheeleri
caterpillars
12
bees
12
hosts
1
food
10
flowers
96
-
Mojave Thistle
Cirsium mohavense
caterpillars
12
bees
13
food
9
flowers
106
-
Gray Thistle
Cirsium inamoenum
caterpillars
12
bees
10
food
9
flowers
90
-
Edible Thistle
Cirsium edule
caterpillars
11
bees
18
food
10
flowers
93
-
Fewleaf Thistle
Cirsium remotifolium
caterpillars
11
bees
16
food
8
flowers
92
-
Arizona Thistle
Cirsium arizonicum
caterpillars
11
bees
12
food
10
flowers
98
-
Parry's Thistle
Cirsium parryi
caterpillars
11
bees
9
hosts
1
food
11
flowers
96
-
Fish Lake Thistle
Cirsium clavatum
caterpillars
11
bees
9
hosts
1
food
11
flowers
93
-
Mountain Thistle
Cirsium scopulorum
caterpillars
11
bees
9
hosts
1
food
10
flowers
80
-
Wyoming Thistle
Cirsium pulcherrimum
caterpillars
11
bees
5
hosts
1
food
7
flowers
75
-
Peregrine Thistle
Cirsium cymosum
caterpillars
10
bees
16
food
12
flowers
94
-
Cobwebby Thistle
Cirsium occidentale
caterpillars
10
bees
14
food
14
flowers
109
-
Tracy's Thistle
Cirsium tracyi
caterpillars
10
bees
9
food
8
flowers
78
-
California Swamp Thistle
Cirsium douglasii
caterpillars
9
bees
9
food
9
flowers
84
-
Hooker's Thistle
Cirsium hookerianum
caterpillars
9
bees
8
food
9
flowers
89
-
Eaton's Thistle
Cirsium eatonii
caterpillars
9
bees
7
food
9
flowers
75
-
Barneby's Thistle
Cirsium barnebyi
caterpillars
9
bees
4
food
7
flowers
69
-
Ownbey's Thistle
Cirsium ownbeyi
caterpillars
9
bees
3
food
7
flowers
67
-
Palouse Thistle
Cirsium brevifolium
caterpillars
8
bees
15
food
8
flowers
80
-
Anderson's Thistle
Cirsium andersonii
caterpillars
8
bees
9
food
7
flowers
86
-
Stemless Thistle
Cirsium tioganum
caterpillars
8
bees
7
food
7
flowers
59
-
Colorado Thistle
Cirsium coloradense
caterpillars
8
bees
7
food
6
flowers
62
-
Cainville Thistle
Cirsium calcareum
caterpillars
8
bees
6
food
7
flowers
84
-
Martin’s Thistle
Cirsium townsendii
caterpillars
8
bees
6
food
4
flowers
64
-
Ashland Thistle
Cirsium ciliolatum
caterpillars
8
bees
5
food
6
flowers
75
-
Rocky Mountain Thistle
Cirsium perplexans
caterpillars
8
bees
5
food
6
flowers
66
-
Long-styled Thistle
Cirsium longistylum
caterpillars
8
bees
2
food
3
flowers
62
-
Fountain Thistle
Cirsium fontinale
caterpillars
7
bees
9
food
7
flowers
76
-
Alameda Thistle
Cirsium quercetorum
caterpillars
7
bees
7
food
6
flowers
74
-
Franciscan Thistle
Cirsium andrewsii
caterpillars
7
bees
7
food
6
flowers
71