FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Carduus nutans | Musk Thistle 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Fire probably kills musk thistle.  Seed buried in the soil probably
survives most fires.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Musk thistle colonizes recently burned prairie sites where grasses are
not vigorous [16].  Plant competition and dry conditions may limit musk
thistle establishment after fire on some sites.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
The role of fire in musk thistle control has not been fully explored
[24].  Popay and Medd [29] suggest there is little merit in using fire
to control musk thistle because combustion would readily occur only on
mature plants that have already dispersed seed.

In the Konza Prairie Research Natural Area in Kansas, burning favored
seedling establishment of musk thistle in areas where grazing had
reduced the vigor of prairie grasses.  However, on sites where grasses
were vigorous, musk thistle was crowded out whether the site was burned
or not.  Frequent burning to maintain vigorous prairie plants is
recommended to prevent the invasion of exotic plant species [16].

Related categories for Species: Carduus nutans | Musk Thistle