Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans) is in the Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies family (Asteraceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 2,282 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in June.
Nationally it blooms mainly from April to July, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Musk Thistle: observations by month (U.S.)
About Musk Thistle
...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Musk Thistle by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 808 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Colorado | 187 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Utah | 161 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Kentucky | 101 | May | May–Jun |
| Pennsylvania | 98 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Illinois | 93 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Wyoming | 77 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Minnesota | 71 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Arkansas | 66 | May | May–Jun |
| Oklahoma | 62 | May | May–Jun |
| New Jersey | 49 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Missouri | 47 | June | May–Jul |
| Montana | 45 | June | Jun–Aug |
| Wisconsin | 44 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Georgia | 41 | May | May–Jun |
| Maryland | 34 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Ohio | 33 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Virginia | 33 | June | May–Jun |
| New Mexico | 29 | July | Jul–Aug |
| North Carolina | 23 | May | May–Jun |
| Tennessee | 20 | May | May–Jun |
| South Dakota | 19 | June | Jun–Sep |
| Alabama | 18 | May | May–Jun |
| Nevada | 17 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Idaho | 16 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Kansas | 16 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Indiana | 15 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Nebraska | 11 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Iowa | 9 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Arizona | 6 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Michigan | 6 | June | Jun–Jun |
| New York | 5 | June | Jun–Jun |
| West Virginia | 5 | June | May–Jun |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies)
black-eyed Susan
Common Yarrow
White Snakeroot
Chicory
Lawn daisy
Philadelphia fleabane
Pearly Everlasting
Blue Mistflower
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Musk Thistle?
Nationally, June has the most observations, with the main season from April to July.
Where is Musk Thistle most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, Colorado, Utah.