Artichoke thistle has long prickly leaves and large blue-purple or sometimes pink flowers. It competes with pastures, crops and native plants.
Artichoke thistle is an invasive weed that:
Touching artichoke thistles can irritate and inflame the skin in some people. The spines can pierce the skin.
Artichoke thistle is a perennial herb that grows up to 2 m tall. Seedlings grow slowly through winter. Plants have a rosette of grey-green leaves at the base which may die off over summer. New leaves grow in autumn and plants usually start to flower in their second summer.
There is usually one stem growing from a rosette. Occasionally rosettes have up to 8 stems.
There is a large taproot up to 2m long.
Artichoke thistle looks similar to other introduced species:
In NSW, artichoke thistle is quite rare; it has mostly been found in the Riverina, Murray, Western and Central West Regions. It also grows in other regions including near the coast.
Artichoke thistle came into Australia as a garden plant; it is native to the Mediterranean region.
Artichoke thistles grow best in warm temperate regions with winter rainfall. Occasionally, they grow in sub-tropical and semi-arid climates. They usually grow in areas with fertile soils and 500-750 mm of rain per year.
Seedlings are sensitive to shade and grow much better in full sun.
Artichoke thistles are most common in pastures and along roadsides. They also grow in crops, grasslands, open woodlands, wetlands, riparian areas, gardens and disturbed sites.
Each plant can produce up to 30,000 seeds per year. The seeds can be spread by the wind for up to 40 m, though most seeds fall within 6 m of the parent plant. Seeds are also spread by:
Plants also grow from root or crown fragments which can be spread by cultivation equipment.
Bean, A. R. (2015). Cynara cardunculus subsp. flavescens, Asteraceae Subfam. 2. Carduoideae Trib. 1. Cardueae. In A. J. G. E. Wilson (Ed.), Flora of Australia (Vol. 37, pp. 61– 62). Melbourne: CSIRO publishing.
Biosecurity Queensland (2016). Weeds of Australia: Cynara cardunculus. Retrieved 28 August 2020 from: https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/cynara_cardunculus.htm
Marushia, R. G., & Holt, J. S. (2006). The effects of habitat on dispersal patterns of an invasive thistle, Cynara cardunculus. Biological Invasions, 8(4), 577-594.
Marushia, R. G., & Holt, J. S. (2008). Reproductive strategy of an invasive thistle: effects of adults on seedling survival. Biological Invasions, 10(6), 913-924.
Parsons, W. T., Parsons, W. T., & Cuthbertson, E. G. (2001). Noxious weeds of Australia. CSIRO publishing.
Richardson, F. J., Richardson, R. G., & Shepherd, R. C. H. (2011). Weeds of the south-east: an identification guide for Australia (No. Ed. 2). CSIRO.
Uddin, M. N., Asaeda, T., Shampa, S. H., & Robinson, R. W. (2020). Allelopathy and its coevolutionary implications between native and non-native neighbors of invasive Cynara cardunculus L. Ecology and evolution, 10(14), 7463-7475.
White, V. A., & Holt, J. S. (2005). Competition of artichoke thistle (Cynara cardunculus) with native and exotic grassland species. Weed Science, 53(6), 826-833.
Successful weed control relies on follow up after the initial efforts. This means looking for and killing regrowth or new seedlings. Using a combination of control methods is usually more successful.
Dig out small infestations or seedlings. Remove as much of the taproot as possible as the plant can regrow from cut roots. Dispose of plants so that they are not left touching the soil.
Sowing and maintaining healthy pasture can limit seedling growth, as artichoke thistle seedlings do not grow well when shaded.
Goats will eat artichoke thistle flowers. Grazing goats can reduce flowering and seed production.
Cultivation can be effective if repeated regularly whenever new growth appears.
Dicamba is most effective when applied in spring before the flowering stalk emerges.
Glyphosate is most effective when the plants are at the seedhead stage.
See Using herbicides for more information.
Dicamba 750 g/L
(Kamba® 750)
Rate: 1.1 L/ha Use a minimum of 1500 L solution per ha. Add a surfactant.
Comments: Boom spray for non-crop situations. Spray prior to flowering.
Withholding period: Do not harvest, graze or cut for stock food for 7 days after application.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Dicamba 750 g/L
(Kamba® 750)
Rate: 67 mL per 100 L of water. Add a surfactant.
Comments: Spray prior to flowering. For non crop situations.
Withholding period: Do not harvest, graze or cut for stock food for 7 days after application.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Dicamba 750 g/L
(Kamba® 750)
Rate: 16 mL per 15 L of water. Add a surfactant.
Comments: Spot spray prior to flowering. For non-crop situations.
Withholding period: Do not harvest, graze or cut for stock food for 7 days after application.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Glyphosate 360 g/L
(Various products)
Rate: 10 ml per 1 L water
Comments: Spot spray. For general weed control in domestic areas (home gardens), commercial, industrial and public service areas, agricultural buildings and other farm situations.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: M, Inhibitors of EPSP synthase
Resistance risk: Moderate
Glyphosate 360 g/L
(Weedmaster Duo)
Rate: 75mL/15L water
Comments: Knapsack spray. Apply at the rosette-early head stage.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: M, Inhibitors of EPSP synthase
Resistance risk: Moderate
MCPA 250 g/L
(MCPA 250)
Rate: 8.5 L/ha
Comments: For pastures and cereal crops. High volume, repeat following year. Add wetting agent.
Withholding period: Do not graze or cut for stock food for 7 days after application.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate
The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the Biosecurity Act 2015 and its subordinate legislation, and the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (published by each Local Land Services region in NSW). It describes the state and regional priorities for weeds in New South Wales, Australia.
Area | Duty |
---|---|
All of NSW | General Biosecurity Duty All pest plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable. |
Reviewed 2021