Common Thistle - IMG_1674 - Edited
The Common Thistle (Cirsium vulgaris), also known as the Spear Thistle, the Bull Thistle, or the Scottish Thistle, is the national emblem of Scotland.
A hardy plant, it grows wild across great swathes of the Scottish countryside, from the weather-ravaged coastlines of the Western Isles, to ragged Highland mountainsides, to the serene banks of streams and brooks in the lowlands, and everywhere in between.
Though classed as an "injurious weed" by the UK Weeds Act of 1959, the thistle is an excellent source of food for many pollen-eating insects, in particular, the Painted Lady butterfly is known to find thistle-covered areas particularly attractive.
Common Thistle - IMG_1674 - Edited
The Common Thistle (Cirsium vulgaris), also known as the Spear Thistle, the Bull Thistle, or the Scottish Thistle, is the national emblem of Scotland.
A hardy plant, it grows wild across great swathes of the Scottish countryside, from the weather-ravaged coastlines of the Western Isles, to ragged Highland mountainsides, to the serene banks of streams and brooks in the lowlands, and everywhere in between.
Though classed as an "injurious weed" by the UK Weeds Act of 1959, the thistle is an excellent source of food for many pollen-eating insects, in particular, the Painted Lady butterfly is known to find thistle-covered areas particularly attractive.