About Cirsium rivulare (Jacq.) All.
Cirsium rivulare, with the full scientific name Cirsium rivulare (Jacq.) All., is a species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family. It is native to eastern and western Europe, it is an adventive species in Britain, and has become naturalised in Sweden and Belgium. This plant is an erect herbaceous perennial thistle that grows in clumps, reaching up to 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) in height. It has narrow, grey-green prickly leaves, and produces small, purple, globular flowerheads from early to midsummer. Its Latin specific epithet rivulare translates to "brook loving". Cirsium rivulare prefers moist growing conditions, though it can tolerate some dryness. The cultivar Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum', which bears deep crimson flowers, has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. This cultivar is very hardy, tolerating temperatures down to at least −20 °C (−4 °F), matching the RHS hardiness rating H7, and grows best in full sun.
