Cirsium occidentale var. venustum

Red Thistle and Venus Thistle.

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A Pale Swallowtail butterfly sipping nectar from the red flowers of Cirsium occidentale var. venustum, Red Thistle.

An Anna Hummingbird on a Cirsium occidentale venustum, Red Thistle sometimes called Venus Thistle

Here a Cirsium occidentale var. venustum, Red Thistle, flower is being visited by a Monarch butterfly.

A hummingbird guarding his Cirsium occidentale venustum, Red Thistle, from all intruders, such as other hummingbirds, and butterflies.

A hummingbird eating on the wing, sipping nectar from a flower of Cirsium occidentale var. venustum, Red Thistle.

A closeup of a flower of Cirsium occidentale var. venustum Red Thistle,, showing the flowers and the fruits.

Monarch and Checkerspot butterflies on a Venus Thistle

Dogface butterfly on Cirsium occidentale venustum

Cirsium occidentale venustum, Red Thistle

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Venus Thistle is a rather large, tomentose, ( covered with short, soft, matted, white hairs) biennial (sometimes annual) thistle with 1-2" bright red flowers. Very showy. Can grow to six feet tall. Sometimes it will live for one season, sometimes for 2-3. It will generally die after it produces a full flower show. Prefers gravelly sand to loam. Rainfall 10-20 inches/year in winter. Hummingbirds and adult swallowtail butterflies are attracted to the flowers. Synonym: Cirsium proteanum .

Cirsium occidentale var. venustum tolerates sand and deer.
Cirsium occidentale var. venustum is great for a bird garden and a butterfly garden.
Foliage of Cirsium occidentale var. venustum has color silver and is deciduous.
Flower of Cirsium occidentale var. venustum has color red.

Communities for Cirsium occidentale var. venustum:Chaparral, Coastal Sage Scrub, Joshua Tree Woodland, Mixed-evergreen Forest and Central Oak Woodland.

ph:	6.00 to 7.20
usda:	7 to 10
height[m]:	1.00 to 2.00
width[m]:	0.20 to 0.30
rainfall[cm]:	32.00 to 82.00

What does all this mean!?!