This naturalized biennial is a native of Eurasia. The first year a rosette of spiny leaves is produced. The second year, a very spiny thistle grows in dense colonies with stout stems often more than 6 feet tall and with many deep purple flower heads, each up to 2 inches across (A,B). The leaves are thin with deep lobes and many yellow-tipped spines (C). They extend along the stems as spiny “wings.” Identified by the numerous long yellow-tipped spines on the base of the flower head and on the leaves.