Cotton Thistle
EN

Cotton Thistle

Onopordum acanthium

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onopordum_acanthium

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Woolly Thistle faces severe population decline primarily due to agricultural intensification and habitat conversion, which has eliminated much of its preferred disturbed ground and field margins. Herbicide applications and improved farming practices have significantly reduced suitable breeding sites, while urban development continues to fragment remaining populations across its native European range.

Threat summary

Habitat

Woolly Thistle typically inhabits disturbed soils, field margins, roadsides, and waste ground, preferring well-drained calcareous soils in open sunny locations. The species thrives in areas with moderate disturbance regimes that prevent succession to closed woodland while maintaining bare soil patches for seedling establishment.

TERRESTRIAL· majorTERRESTRIAL· majorTERRESTRIAL· major

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Cotton Thistle classified as Endangered?
Cotton Thistle is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. The Woolly Thistle faces severe population decline primarily due to agricultural intensification and habitat conversion, which has eliminated much of its preferred disturbed ground and field margins. Herbicide applications and improved farming practices have significantly reduced suitable breeding sites, while urban development continues to fragment remaining populations across its native European range.
Where does Cotton Thistle live?
Cotton Thistle occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Cotton Thistle?
The main threats to Cotton Thistle are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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