Wegdistel vs Nickende Distel

Carduus acanthoides compared with Carduus nutans

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Wegdistel	Nickende Distel
Kingdom same	Plantae (Pflanzen)	Plantae (Pflanzen)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order same	Asterales (Asternartige)	Asterales (Asternartige)
Family same	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus same	Carduus	Carduus
Species	Carduus acanthoides	Carduus nutans

Evolutionary Relationship

Wegdistel and Nickende Distel share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Carduus.

Conservation Status

Wegdistel

NT — Near Threatened

Nickende Distel

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Wegdistel	Nickende Distel
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Wegdistel

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, among 8 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (4 countries), Europe (18 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (Argentina). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Nickende Distel

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Neotropic and Oceanian realms.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (India), Europe (8 countries), North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (New Zealand), and South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Wegdistel

The Bastard Nodding Thistle (Carduus acanthoides) is a species in the genus Carduus. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, among 8 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments.

Nickende Distel

The Bastard Scotch Thistle (Carduus nutans) is a species in the genus Carduus. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Neotropic and Oceanian realms.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 12 countries:

🇦🇷 Argentina 🇧🇪 Belgium 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 🇨🇦 Canada 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇱🇻 Latvia 🇳🇿 New Zealand 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇱 Poland 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇦 Ukraine 🇺🇸 United States