Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten.

Posted byTrajche DimitrovskiPosted inCompositae, Plant families

Taxonomy: Fam. Compositae// Genus: Cirsium// Species: Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten.

Determined according to the botanical key provided by Werner (1976 in Tutin et al.).

Lifeform: Biennial plant. The first year of the lifecycle is vegetative (basal rosette stage). Flowering and fruiting occur in the second year.

Distribution: Native from Europe to Siberia and Arabian Peninsula, Northwest Africa according to the distribution information provided by the Plants of the World Online portal (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew).

Habitat:  Hill pastures, edged and clearings of forests and woods, mountain roads.

Flowering period: Summer- autumn (JUL, AUG, SEP, OCT).

Locality: hill pastures near Kochani. Date: 24.08.2025.

Cirsium vulgare – habit. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – habit. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – habit. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – branches with capitula. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – capitula. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – capitula. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – capitula. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – capitulum. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – capitulum. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – florets. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – side view of capitulum with involucre. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – involucre. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – involucre. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – fruiting capitulum. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – papus of achene. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – upper leaves. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – stem with leaves. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – stem with leaves. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – stem with leaves. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – leaves. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – adaxial side of leaf. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – abaxial side of leaf. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – winged stem. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – winged stem. Hill pastures near Kochani, 24.08.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

Locality: Osogovo, ridge between the Golema and Orizarska Rivers near village of Krushka. Date: 08.08.2022.

Cirsium vulgare – habit. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – habit. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – habit. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – habit. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – flowering stem with capitula. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – capitulum. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – capitulum. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – capitulum. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – florets. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – florets. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – involucre. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – involucre. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – fruiting capitulum. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – fruiting capitulum. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – leaves. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – leaves. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – leaf. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – adaxial side od leaf. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – adaxial side od leaf. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – abaxial side od leaf. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – abaxial side od leaf. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – winged stem. Osogovo, mountain ridge between the gorges of “Golema” River and “Orizarska” River near village of Krushka, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

Locality: Osogovo, Shtalkovichka River. Date: 15.08.2020.

Cirsium vulgare -habit. Osogovo, “Shtalkovichka” River, 15.08.2020. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – developing capitulum and upper cauline leaves. Osogovo, “Shtalkovichka” River, 15.08.2020. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – capitulum. Osogovo, “Shtalkovichka” River, 15.08.2020. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – capitulum. Osogovo, “Shtalkovichka” River, 15.08.2020. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – spent capitulum. Osogovo, “Shtalkovichka” River, 15.08.2020. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare -fruiting capitula. Osogovo, “Shtalkovichka” River, 15.08.2020. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – fruiting capitulum with achenes. Osogovo, “Shtalkovichka” River, 15.08.2020. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – stem with middle cauline leaves. Osogovo, “Shtalkovichka” River, 15.08.2020. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare – stem with middle cauline leaves. Osogovo, “Shtalkovichka” River, 15.08.2020. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Cirsium vulgare -basal and lower cauline leaves. Osogovo, “Shtalkovichka” River, 15.08.2020. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

References:

Cirsium vulgare. Greuter, W. 2006+: Compositae (pro parte majore). – In: Greuter, W. & Raab-Straube, E. von, Compositae. Euro+Med PlantBase – the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity. Published at https://europlusmed.org/. https://europlusmed.org/cdm_dataportal/taxon/88c07457-81e8-4a51-a070-db5de11a7442 [Accessed 04.04.2026].

Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten. Plants of the World Online portal, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:196191-1 [Accessed 16.03.2022].

Werner, K. 1976. Cirsium Miller. In Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A. (eds.), Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 232–242.

Last update: 04.04.2026.