Proud of how this custom tattoo turned out! It is cool to see practice Looking to get your own ink? Book me here -http://www.mysticcreations123.com/booking-your-tattoo

Seed gathering and cleaning and sowing is a lot of work. Unless you love it. Then it is a lot of fun. ONOPORDUM ACANTHIUM is one of the most beautiful thistles I know. I hope they germinate! #onopordumacanthium #onopordum #scotchthistle #oisforonopordum #hollingtonsflorilegium #seedsavers #semiscambi #weedsareflowerstoo #iloveweeds #lamacchinafissa #mezzogiardiniere #clarkanthonylawrence (presso La Macchina Fissa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeybwFgIbYc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Scotch thistle #weed #thistle #scotchthistle #spearthistle #purple #purpleflowers #lumix #fz300 https://www.instagram.com/p/CV3lhXRhz0Y/?utm_medium=tumblr

Not the true Scotch Thistle (which is Onopordum acanthium), but seen more regularly and likely more often thought of as the real deal. Cirsium vulgare (Spear Thistle) is one of my favourite British Native plants and seen here on the sloping grassland leading down to Roomebay Beach in Crail, Fife, couldn’t be more evocative of my childhood and wildflower memories. As such, it must be today’s #oneadayplant . If you know me, you know I love Thistles and our native flora. We are lucky to have such diversity and many have uses or ornamental value as well. . I always cultivate thistles in my gardens. They are beautiful and extremely well visited by insects, especially bees. 🐝 . I like their tough exterior and the contrasting soft fluffiness of their flowers. I like their downy seeds that float on a breeze. I will concede that they aren’t for everyone and they do tend to seed very freely indeed, which may make you less popular with the neighbours. . One day I aspire to create a thistle garden celebrating their diversity and ornamental value. Until then, enjoy and explore them as, all to often, they are merely despised by the unlucky walker or gardener who accidentally brushes past them or grasps one thinking it is a weed and instantly regrets their decision. . #thistle #spearthistle #cirsiumvulgare #scotchthistle #onopordiumacanthium #garden #landscape #wildflower #uknativeflora #nativeplants #crail #roomebaybeach #fife #grassland #weeds #iplantsman #plantingdesign #thistles #gardening #spines #plants #meettheinstagardener #childhoodmemories #evocative #scotland #bees #pollinators #pollinatorplants #insects (at Crail Roomebay Beach) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEeHEJDgJ0e/?igshid=1d9yyhavkkbqd

Busy working

Beautiful Scottish thistle. #scottishthistle #scotchthistle #thistle #wildflowers #beautifulflowers #eveningwalk #beautyallaroundus

Everything can be a snack when your hungry. #pnw #highdesert #scotchthistle #grasshopper #insect #purple #snack

In season now: scotch thistle

Love them or hate them, the thistles are here, again. One of the early risers -as soon as the seasonal rains come in- is the ubiquitous scotch thistle, Cirsium arvense.

This is a  most hated weed as it grows prolific all over Australia (and indeed the rest of the world), so much that it was the first legally declared weed in the colonial history of this country. The first legislation ever written about plants on this side of the world dates back to 1852, when the state of South Australia passed a law to prevent the distribution of the plant. This was deemed necessary as it caused much pain to sheep grazers: the spiky seed heads getting stuck in sheep wool causing wool faults.

Scotch thistle takes his name from the folkloric value bestowed on the plants in Scotland, where the bright purple flower is the national floral emblem. Over there the thistles tell a different story, one of pride and strength.

The legend goes that one night, at a time when hoards of Norsemen used to pillage the Scottish shores, a raiding army were about to ambush a small village. In approaching the victims, one of the norsemen stepped on thistles and the pain was so intense that the screams awakened the whole valley, preventing the pillage.

Another story tells of the Romans, when on the way up north the British isles decided to stop the conquer two thirds through, built Adrian's wall and declared anything north of it to be inhospitable and undesirable. Apparently the fact they wore sandals to battle had lots to do with it and rather than marching on thistle's fields they decided to hold back on their plans.

Now, all good and fierce, but scotch thistle is also edible, and it sports a few medicinal properties too, so here we go:

Origins: Europe, North Africa, naturalised in Australia

Uses: Young leaves can be cooked after soaking overnight in salt. The stems can be peeled and then steamed or boiled. I loved them raw, harvesting the stalk of advanced plant before they go to flower. The tap roots can be eaten raw or cooked, also of young thistles that have not flowered yet. The dried flowers are a rennet substitute for curdling milk. The seed are occasionally eaten roasted.

Medicinal: The roots and a decoction of the plant is used as a poultice on sore jaws. A hot infusion of the whole plant has been used as a herbal steam for treating rheumatic joints. A decoction of the whole plant has been used both internally and externally to treat bleeding piles.

And so much more. Check this link from wikipedia, or this from Plants For A Future>

Or just watch this below. It's the famous scene in Braveheart the film: the gift of the thistle.

  * "No one attacks me with impunity" 

White thistles - I don't think I've ever seen these before. #whitethistle #thistle #scotchthistle #milkthistle (at Prague, Czech Republic)

Baby #scotchthistle #fortorddunesstatepark (at Fort Ord Dunes State Park)

Scotch thistle 🌺 . . #scotchthistle #weed #australian #flora #flowers #native #garden #plant #art #photography #naturelover #morning #sun #sunshine #green #yellow #ochre #summer #light #environment #landscape #nature #naturewalk #revegetation

These dry spiky thistles were spotted on the trail near the Cal State East Bay Campus Castle Rock. I like the composition of this one more than the one I posted previously. 07 October 2018 2018 © Michael Mercado // lost-tokyo.blogspot.com // lost-edo.tumblr.com // www.facebook.com/Lost.Edo #Landscape #NaturePhotography #DryFlowers # ScotchThistle #MilkThistle #CardusMarianus #SaintMaryThistle #MountDiablo #MtDiablo #CalStateEastBay #ContraCostaTrail #Concord #ContraCosta #California #MacroPhotography #NoFilter #OriginalPhotography #NikonD600 #Nikon #D600 (at Cal State East Bay Concord) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpKZ2YFFH19/?igshid=ibup8phzw60p

Breakfast #bee #honeybee #scotchthistle #thistle #flower #purple #macrophotography #insect #insectsofinstagram #insectphotography #wholelottabugs #sony https://www.instagram.com/p/CJb067KA6Tj/?igshid=8pmcsb36l8dn

Chief worker bee! My heart! Jim took this in the morning when he noticed the light streaming in. No candle? No problem! It’s actually filthy and so on is going into the dishwasher …. But this sure made my day start right. . . . #morninglight #thistleart #thistle #lantern #scotchthistle #robbieburns #scotland #highlands #outlander #outlanderseries #outlanderstarz #celtic #saxon #hadrianswall #fairisleknitting #fairislefriday #plaid #tartan #hogmanay #candlelover #lanternlight #candlesofinstagram — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/34UmtJW

SCOTTISH BADASS Design http://www.custompoolcues.com.au/product/scottish-badass/ #scottishclans #scottishbadass #scotlandhighlands #scotlandthebrave #scotlandthebest #scotlandthegreat #williamwallace #tartan #tartanwarrior #melgibson #celtic #celtictattoo #saltire #scottishflag #scottishflags #scotchwisky #scotchwhisky #bagpipes #amazinggrace #scottishthistle #scotchthistle #scottishtartan #scottishpride #scotchpride #CustomPoolCues #customcues #personalizedgifts #poolcues #personalisedpoolcues #custombilliards #custommadepoolcue #mancavestuff (at Custom Pool Cues) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxEWrXTgG8U/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=vqwlwy5hoo96

More recent edits of photos from January #bumblebee #thistle #scotchthistle #photography (at New Zealand) https://www.instagram.com/p/BudY6IVgaWM/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ifbdvlkr9bsh