Kohldistel vs Gewöhnliche Kornrade

Cirsium oleraceum compared with Agrostemma githago

Key Differences

• Kohldistel is Near Threatened while Gewöhnliche Kornrade is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Kohldistel	Gewöhnliche Kornrade
Kingdom same	Plantae (Pflanzen)	Plantae (Pflanzen)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Asterales (Asternartige)	Caryophyllales (Nelkenartige)
Family	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)	Caryophyllaceae
Genus	Cirsium	Agrostemma
Species	Cirsium oleraceum	Agrostemma githago

Evolutionary Relationship

Kohldistel and Gewöhnliche Kornrade share a common ancestor at the Class level: Magnoliopsida. (Dicots)

Conservation Status

Kohldistel

NT — Near Threatened

Gewöhnliche Kornrade

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Kohldistel	Gewöhnliche Kornrade
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Kohldistel

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found across Europe (9 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Gewöhnliche Kornrade

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including montane grasslands and shrublands, tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, and temperate coniferous forests, among 13 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Lesotho), Asia (7 countries), Europe (24 countries), North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Brazil, Chile). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Kohldistel

The Cabbage thistle (Cirsium oleraceum) is a species in the genus Cirsium. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Gewöhnliche Kornrade

<em>Agrostemma githago</em>, commonly known as common corncockle, is an annual flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. Once a widespread weed of cereal crops across Europe, Asia, and beyond, this species is now Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to the dramatic decline caused by modern agricultural practices, particularly improved grain cleaning and herbicide use. Corncockle is a tall, slender plant covered in silky white hairs, bearing large, solitary pink to purple flowers with distinctive dark veining. Its seeds contain toxic saponin compounds called githagins, which historically contaminated grain supplies. The species now survives primarily in wildflower conservation areas, seed banks, and traditional farmland conservation schemes. It typically grows in open, disturbed arable soils with full sun exposure. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 9 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇮 Finland 🇫🇷 France 🇮🇪 Ireland 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇬🇧 United Kingdom