Cirsium tenuisquamatum is a perennial growing in damp grasslands. The stems are erect, growing to 0.5-1m, and have arachnoid hair. Radical leaves, which remain alive during blooming time, are glaucous, a bit thin, and pinnatifid; the margins are coarsely serrated. Leaves on the stems embrace the stems at the leaf joints. Flowers, light red-purple, approximately 5cm across, appear singly on the stem tips, facing diagonally downward. Bloom time: September-October.