bull thistle

American  

noun

1. a tall, spiny thistle, Cirsium vulgare, having heads of pink to purple flowers: a common weed in North America.

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Etymology

Origin of bull thistle

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

Bull Thistle Plus: A biennial, the bull thistle will only grow a flower in its second year.

From Time Magazine Archive

A native of Europe, the bull thistle can now be found growing along roadsides all across the U.S., as well as in deserts, pastures and forests.

From Time Magazine Archive

I would hear them every morning when I passed the railroad car and paused over the chickweed and bull thistle growing where Tyler had buried the rifle.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

Weeds are annuals, as pigweeds, crab grass, purslane; biennials as bull thistle and mulleins; perennials, like quack grass, Canada thistle, ox-eye Daisy.

From Seeds of Michigan Weeds Bulletin 260, Michigan State Agricultural College Experiment Station, Division of Botany, March, 1910 by Beal, W. J. (William James)