No, it’s not a thistle, but it does look like Asteraceae to me. I just can quite place it. It looks sort of like silphium laciniatum, but just not quite.

When I look at Centaurea on bonap, all they have listed are exotic species, no natives. Sounds promising tho.

Ah, yes Jay I think I forgot that...wishful thinking on my part.

Agree, looks like knapweed.

https://bcinvasives.ca/invasive-species/identify/invasive-plants/spotted-diffuse-knapweed

Thanks for all the good suggestions. I'm still undecided. It could be a Silphium or Centaurea? With all the rain it shouldn't be long before it blooms. We have 1 more confirmation on floral's nettle call from the red admirals. They have them over there too! (UK)

A rolled leaf with a caterpillar inside. I thought this Urtica urens would have more of a sting now, but I didn't feel anything. I love nettles!

How big are these leaves?

I'll go measure them later lol.

I vote for compass plant

I apologise to everyone for saying this plant didn't have thorns. Actually, it has formidable thorns. The first time I felt it was along the leaf tips that really don't have sharp thorns. The closer you get to the center stalk the spinier it gets. The largest basal leaf was 18" long and 6" at its widest. I have more pictures but I'm having trouble posting any on this forum. I have a few other questionable plants that I wish to post.

Jay, you've recently been posting a lot of plants without flowers. Many of them can be identified to the species level if you wait for anthesis.

The tentative Cirsium ID will be easier with a shot of the bottom side of the leaf, a close side shot of the head, and an overall plant photo to show relative head size and leaf shapes. Cirsium muticum is a possibility, but young plants of C. discolor can have a similar appearance. Those two easily separate in flower, though, because muticum has phyllaries with spiny tips up to 0.5 mm long, and those of discolor are 3-9 mm long. Flowering shots should also help to eliminate other local species, such as C. hillii and C. flodmanii.

BONAP shows the native 'Centaureas' under the genus Plectocephalus.

Thanks nonmember and jekeesl. I can't post anymore. Other times, no problem. I figured there was a Centaurea name change.

I'm leaning toward Cirsium discolor, which has lower leaf surfaces that are white-tomentose. Since C. muticum leaves are less hairy (glabrous to slightly whitened underneath), that isn't a likely match. But, as mentioned earlier, there are other options, including other genera to consider, so please return with flower shots. I'm guessing that anthesis will occur in the Jul-Oct period for your area.

Ah yes. Good pictures make all the difference.

Thanks for the ID jekeesl! I will get a flower pic when it blooms. I winter sowed C. discolor and C. altissimus, so this is a good find.

Jay, that wasn't an ID. It was a best guess based upon available information. You almost always need the flowers for an ID to the species level.

Pretty sure it's not Compass Plant, that would be wishful thinking. :) I haven't seen an actual seedling, but its leaves tend to be rougher, stiffer, and not as pointy....