20 May 2005 Page 1 of 3 

Plant Conservation Alliance®s Alien Plant Working Group 

Xeeds HoneXild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas 

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

FACT SHEET: YELLOW STARTHISTLE

Yellow Starthistle 

Centaurea solstitialis L. 

Sunflower family (Asteraceae) 

NATIVE RANGE 

Africa, temperate Asia and Eurasia (Balkan-Asia Minor, the Middle East and 

south-central Europe) Mediterranean region of southern Europe and northern 

Africa, especially Turkey 

DESCRIPTION 

Yellow starthistle is an annual herbaceous plant. Plants are gray-green to bluegreen, grow from 6 in. to 5 ft. (15 cm to 15 dm) in height, and have deep 

taproots. Flowers are bright yellow with sharp spines surrounding the base, 

giving the plant a particularly menacing appearance and a painful response if 

touched. Stems and leaves are covered with cottony wool. Basal leaves are 2 

to 3 in. (6-7 cm.) long and deeply lobed . Upper leaves are short (0.5 to 1.0 in.; 

1 to 2.5 cm) and narrow, with few lobes. 

ECOLOGICAL THREAT 

Yellow starthistle is a strong invader that has been found in nearly every 

county in California and appears to be moving north and eastward. Some 

specialists liken its invasion to that of leafy spurge in North Dakota and 

Montana. As the plant infests an area, it chokes out the native plants, reducing biodiversity and wildlife habitat and forage. 

Another concern associated with the plant is “chewing disease” that develops in horses that have eaten yellow starthistle. 

This disease affects horses’ nervous system and is usually fatal. Yellow starthistle does best in areas with a summer 

drought. It has been present in the Mid-West and eastern US for decades but has not built up high densities and is not 

considered a threat to areas with summer rainfall which includes most of the area east of the Rocky Mountains. 

DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES 

According to the USDA, yellow starthistle occurs throughout the United States 

in forty-one states, with the exception of Maine and Vermont, five southeastern 

states, and Alaska and Hawaii. Yellow starthistle is most concentrated in 

California, where the plant infests nearly 12 million acres of rangeland and 

wildland. It is also reported to be invasive in natural areas of Idaho, Oregon, 

New Jersey, Utah, and Washington, according to the Alien Plant Working 

Group and five western national parks - Death Valley National Park, Glen 

Canyon National Recreation Area, Redwood National Park, Sequoia and Kings 

Canyon National Parks, and Yosemite National Park. 

HABITAT IN THE UNITED STATES 

Yellow starthistle is found typically in full sunlight and deep, well-drained soils, where annual rainfall is between 10-60 

inches, and is especially common in disturbed areas such as roadsides. 

BACKGROUND 

Yellow starthistle was probably introduced into the United States through contaminated alfalfa in the mid-1800’s. 

BIOLOGY & SPREAD 

Spread of yellow starthistle is by seed and each seedhead can produce from 35 to approximately 80 seeds. However, the 

seeds have no wind-dispersal mechanisms so few seeds move more than two feet from the parent plant without 

assistance. Therefore, animals and human influences, such as vehicles, contaminated crop seed, hay or soil, and road 

maintenance, contribute greatly to the plant’s rapid and long-distance spread. 
20 May 2005 Page 2 of 3 

Plant Conservation Alliance®s Alien Plant Working Group 

Xeeds HoneXild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas 

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

MANAGEMENT OPTIONS 

A variety of methods are available for managing yellow starthistle, ranging from biological, chemical, and mechanical. For 

this reason, an integrated weed management plan, including tactics to prevent the spread of yellow starthistle outside of 

infested areas, is recommended. For example, when driving, walking, or moving livestock through infested areas, clothing, 

vehicles, and animals should be inspected and cleaned to remove any seeds before continuing on into uninfested areas. 

Biological 

Six biological control insects have been released in the United States for yellow starthistle control: Bangasternus 

orientalis, Eustenopus villosus, Urophora jaculata, Urophora sirunaseva, Larinus curtus, and Chaetorellia australis. Of 

these, five became established and three (B. orientalis, U. sirunaseva and E. villosus) are widespread. Also, the 

accidentally introduced fly, Chaetorellia succinea has a strong affinity to yellow starthistle and is found almost everywhere 

yellow starthistle occurs. All of these insects attack the seedhead of yellow starthistle, effectively limiting the number of 

seeds the plants are able to produce. Current research indicates that the insects have reduced seed yield by at least 50%. 

The rust fungus, Puccinia juncea var. solstitialis was released in California in 2003. It is too early to know if this rust will 

establish and eventually cause high mortality of yellow starthistle in the wild. Several more fungi and insects are currently 

being tested for introduction into the United States. 

Chemical 

Application of the systemic herbicides clopyralid or picloram between December and April seems to be the most effective. 

Application during the winter encourages the growth of other, more desirable, plants. 

Mechanical 

Mowing is effective during the early flowering stage or when most buds have produced spines. However, it is only 

successful when no leaves are present below the level of the cut. 

Grazing 

Sheep, goats, and cattle can graze on yellow starthistle in early spring, before the flower’s spines develop. Goats will also 

graze plants in the spiny or flowering stages. Grazing reduces biomass and seed production. 

USE PESTICIDES WISELY: Always read the entire pesticide label carefully, follow all mixing and application instructions and wear all 

recommended personal protective gear and clothing. Contact your state department of agriculture for any additional pesticide use 

requirements, restrictions or recommendations. 

NOTICE: mention of pesticide products on this page does not constitute endorsement of any material.

CONTACTS 

For more information on the management of yellow starthistle, please contact: 

• Joe DiTomaso, University of California-Davis, ditomaso at vegmail.ucdavis.edu 

• Weed Records and Information Center (WeedRIC) - Yellow Starthistle http://wric.ucdavis.edu/yst 

• The University of California Pest Management Guides - Yellow Star-thistle 

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7402.html 

• Encycloweedia - http://pi.cdfa.ca.gov/weedinfo/centaurea2.htm 

OTHER LINKS 

• http://www.invasive.org/search/action.cfm?q=Centaurea%20solstitialis

AUTHOR 

Alicia Murphy 

EDITOR

Jil M. Swearingen, National Park Service, Center for Urban Ecology, Washington, DC 

REVIEWERS 

Joe DiTomaso, Michael Pitcairn, and Steve Schoenig 
20 May 2005 Page 3 of 3 

Plant Conservation Alliance®s Alien Plant Working Group 

Xeeds HoneXild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas 

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

PHOTOGRAPH 

Jerry Asher, USDI Bureau of Land Management 

REFERENCES 

Bossard, Carla C., John Randall, and Marc C. Hashovsky. Invasive Plants of California’s Wildlands. University of 

California Press, Berkeley. 2000. 

DiTomaso, Joseph M., et al. The UC Pest Management Guides – Yellow Star-thistle. 

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7402.html. Feb 1999. 

DiTomaso, Joseph M.. WeedRIC – Yellow Star-thistle Information. http://wric.ucdavis.edu/yst/. 2001. 

Royer, France and Richard Dickinson. 1999. Weeds of the Northern U.S. and Canada. University of Alberta Press and 

Lone Pine Publishing. 

Swearingen, J. 2009. WeedUS Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States: Yellow Starthistle 

(Centaurea solstitialis). http://www.invasive.org/weedus/subject.html?sub=4390. 

USDA Agricultural Research Service Germplasm Resources Information Network. 2004. http://www.ars-grin.gov 

USDA, NRCS. 2009. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 

70874-4490 USA. 

Whitson, Tom D. (et al.). 2000. Weeds of the West. Western Weed Science Society of America.