Are the leaf undersides lighter in color? Could be Cirsium altissimum. They are treasures imo.

I think you’re right It’s the thistle i have coming up all over a hillside! since you call it a treasure I’ll let it flower. thanks!

The native thistles are mostly biennial, monocarpic species that flower and then die. You could deadhead them so they don't spread any further. It doesn't look like the invasive, perennial Canada thistle, which is actually Eurasian and not native to Canada or North America. Cirsium altissimum isn't sharp prickly. They are great pollinator plants and host plants for Lady and American Lady butterflies. Not 100 percent confident with C. altissimum, but it's the closest I can think of. I think of it as a treasure, because I had a lot of difficulty trying to germinate seeds, but I managed to get one lone seedling, which is like a treasure to me.

The thistles on the hillside are prickly, so i pull (gingerly) with abandon. i dont think these are, do msybe they blew in from elsewhere.

The leaves seem to only have sharp spines at the tips of the teeth, and it looks like the hairs covering the surface are soft. Is that correct? If it is, it's most likely Cirsium altissimum. Tall thistle leaves are easier to handle than most other thistle species.