Cirsium japonicum var. japonicum

'Cirsium japonicum'' var. japonicum''' is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is a perennial thistle native to Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. It is a variety of Cirsium japonicum, and is known by many synonyms. In Chinese it is known as the Yushan thistle, named for Yushan mountain on Taiwan.

Uses
Cirsium japonicum var. japonicum is cultivated for medicinal properties, particularly in Puli and Ren'ai Townships of Nantou County on Taiwan. C. japonicum var. japonicum was believed to be depicted on the reverse side of the NT$1000 bill, near the bottom left corner, but in 2019, botanists reclassified the depicted plant as a new species, C. tatakaense.



Biology
Cirsium japonicum var. japonicum typically flowers between September and October, and bears fruit between October and November.

Distribution
The variety ranges from Japan and Korea through China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. In Taiwan it is sometimes known by the synonym C. kawakamii, and grows in alpine grasslands of north-central Taiwan between 1,500 and 3,500 meters elevation.