| Author | de Candolle | |
| Distribution | Essentially the Southern outer Coastal Plain, where restricted to Brunswick, Columbus, and Pender counties. First collected in NC in 2002, north of Hallsboro, Columbus County (specimens at NCSC and USCH). Found in Pender County in 1999, but no collection made. Photographs from Brunswick County were posted on Facebook, taken in 2020. In 2023, a collection was made in far northern Wilson County (NCU); this record will be double-checked to determine accuracy, as this is a major northerly and inland range extension.
Coastal Plain, southern NC to FL and LA; disjunct to southeastern VA. | |
| Abundance | Very rare; known from just four sites in the state. This is a Significantly Rare species. | |
| Habitat | One site (Brunswick) is from a roadside, a second (Columbus) is from a pasture, the third (Pender) is from a savanna, and the fourth (Wilson) is from a roadside close to a mixed forest. Within its range, mainly in pine savannas, but also found on roadsides and other disturbed open ground. | |
| Phenology | Flowering and fruiting June-August. | |
| Identification | As noted under LeConte's Thistle (C. lecontei), this species is somewhat similar except that it has more heads per inflorescence and the heads are smaller. However, Nuttall's Thistle can grow very tall, often 6-9 feet tall, with numerous branches; and its heads can often be white (as well as pink). Both species flower about the same time (contra Virginia Thistle [C. virginianum]), which flowers later. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | None
| |
| Other Common Name(s) | None | |
| State Rank | S1 | |
| Global Rank | G5 | |
| State Status | SR-P | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | FAC link |
| USACE-emp | FAC link |
