Indian Thistle, Edible Thistle, Wenatchee Thistle
Cirsium edule var. wenatchense
A close-up of the long-branched inflorescence of edible thistle (var. wenatchense) as seen along forest road #3521 in the Wenatchee National Forest........August 13, 2009. The flower heads are generally solitary at the end of each branch of the inflorescence in this variety.
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Close-ups of the flower heads and stem leaves of edible thistle (var. wenatchense) as seen along forest road #3521 in the Wenatchee National Forest........August 13, 2009. Note the abundant webbed hairs between the spines of the flower head in the photo at center left and the difference in shape of the stem leaves, with a lower stem leaf at center right and upper stem leaf at outer right.
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Three views of edible thistle (var. wenatchense) as seen along forest road #3521 in the Wenatchee National Forest.........August 13, 2009. Note that the inflorescence is branched, with the individual flower heads spreading away from the axis of the stalk on long branches.
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An edible thistle, possibly (var. wenatchense) as seen at left at Camas Land NAP, located to the southeast of Leavenworth, Washington.........June 5, 2015. The image at right shows Wenatchee thistle along Trail #1372 on the rimrock above Naneum Creek, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest......July 13, 2024.
Paul Slichter