Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Fountain Thistle
Cirsium fontinale var. fontinale
Photo © Toni Corelli
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Fountain Thistle
Cirsium fontinale var. fontinale
The Fountain Thistle is a beautiful plant in the aster (Asteraceae) family. It is restricted to serpentine seeps. It has very large, gray-green, spine-tipped leaves at the base of the plant and sends up a leafy flowering stalk in late summer. The pinkish flower heads are at the top of this flowering stalk surrounded by spiny structures (phyllaries). The flower heads are initially nodding before straightening up to ripen its seeds. The plant with flowering stem can be up to 2 dm tall, which distinguish it from the most similar thistle in its range, the brownie thistle (Cirsium quercetorum) that is compact and low to the ground.
The Fountain Thistle is “endemic” to San Mateo County, which means it cannot be found naturally 
anywhere else in the world. Historically the Fountain Thistle was known to have five occurrences in San Mateo County. Two occurrences have become lost in the last 10 years. However in the last 5 years 2 new populations have been discovered, one on private property and one on public land belonging to Redwood City, CA.
A combination of threats has caused the population to decline in recent years. Some of these threats are urbanization, alteration of local hydrology, dam construction in the 19th century, highway construction , and non-native plant invasion.
The type locality —the geographic area where the species was originally identified —suffered with the construction of Highway 280 and the Highway 92 interchange. In 1995, the Fountain Thistle was protected as endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act.
Today the species still faces obstacles to recovery. Invasive species such as pampas grass (Cortaderia jubata) are overtaking the Fountain Thistle's natural habitats. Although more needs to be done to control invasive plants within the plant’s habitat, the San Francisco Peninsula Watershed staff have a plan in effect that is working on this problem on their lands.
Conservation Action Item
A dedicated group of local ecologists have been struggling to keep invasive, colonizing weeds from displacing the Fountain Thistle from its remaining habitats. You can help the Fountain Thistle by volunteering for habitat restoration near the species' remaining populations. Click here to find out when and where you can volunteer to help the Fountain Thistle recover.
Trips
- Sunday, March 30, 2008, 1:00 p.m.: Join Ken Himes and Jake Sigg for a hike into the usually inaccessible Crystal Springs Watershed to search for the Fountain Thistle. Paul Scannell Road site. RSVP required: e-mail jakesigg@earthlink.net.
- Saturday, May 31, 2008, 1:00 p.m.: Join Jake Sigg, Ken Himes and the CA Native Plant Society as we work to remove the principal threat to the Fountain Thistle (i.e. pampas grass) at one of its few sites, the intersection of Interstate 280 and Highway 92. Caltrans is removing the bulk of the pampas grass, but is avoiding working in the immediate area where the thistle occurs, because of its sensitivity. That's where we come in! We'll be grubbing out pampas grass that are encroaching the thistle. The thistle grows in wet soil so wear boots and clothing that are appropriate. We provide gloves. You will probably find rescuing this beautiful plant a rewarding endeavor. Click here for directions. RSVP required: Call Jake Sigg at 415-731-3028. For last minute questions after 9am on May 31, call Chris Farron of Caltrans at 415-850-5964.
- Saturday, October 25, 2008, 9:00 a.m. - Noon: Join Jake Sigg and the CA Native Plant Society as we work to remove the principal threat to the Fountain Thistle--the invasive pampas grass--at one of the Fountain Thistle's last sites: the intersection of I-280 and Highway 92. Caltrans is removing the bulk of the pampas grass, but is avoiding working in the immediate area where the thistle occurs, because of its sensitivity. That's where we come in! We'll be grubbing out pampas grass that are encroaching the thistle. The thistle grows in wet soil so wear boots and clothing that are appropriate for fun in the mud. We provide gloves. This is as fun as restoration gets!. Click here for directions. RSVP required: Call Jake Sigg at 415-731-3028.
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Previous Comments
Posted by: Steve Price | 2008-06-04 16:41:17
A few small populations of very healthy Fountain Thistle grow right along the 280 freeway in the shadow of the 92 overpass. We worked in the muddy seep all afternoon removing pugnacious Pampas Grass to give the Fountain Thistle room to spread.
-Jake Sigg & Brent Plater
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