Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Scientific Name: Carduus nutans
Common Name: Musk thistle, Nodding thistle
Family: Asteraceae
Location: NE MN MO KS SD ND VA ON CO MD MT
Control: Biocontrol Chemical Grazing
Habitat: Musk thistle is found in waste ground, old fields,
pasture, and along roads and railroads, preferring
well-drained and fertile soils, but tolerant of
many conditions.
Detail: BIOCONTROL
Cartwright, Bob and Loke T. Kok (1985). Growth
responses of musk and plumeless thistles (Carduus
nutans and C. acanthoides) to damage by
Trichosirocalus horridus
(Coleoptera:Curculionidae). Weed Science
33:57-62.
Location: Pastures in Montgomery and Giles
Counties, Virginia.
Objective: To determine the response of musk and
plumeless thistle to the thistle rosette weevil.
Summary: In 1980, two sites were selected, each
heavily infested with musk thistle, and each a
site at which the thistle rosette weevil had
become established. Fifty weevil-infested and 50
non-infested rosettes were sampled from each site.
In 1981, 100 each of the infested and non-infested
musk thistle plants were sampled. In 1982,
rosettes between 10-15 cm in diameter (small) and
......