Pictures of Flowers Thistle Pictures and Thistle Plant Kind

By Pictures of flowers

on March 9, 2009

Pictures of Flowers Thistle Pictures and Thistle Plant Kind

Thistle is the common name for a genus of flowering plants that are characterized by its typical leaves. The leaves of the plant have sharp prickles that often appear all over the plant including stems and other parts of the plant. Sharp prickles protect the plants against herbivorous animals from feeding on the plants. Purple to white or yellow colored small tubular flowers grow on prickly heads.

Several species of thistles are regarded as invasive weeds. The plant is close relative of cornflower or bachelor’s button. Thistle is the national flower of Scotland where it is found in many national symbols, emblems and as the name for several Scottish football clubs. Lavender-flowered Canada thistle is considered as one of the most troublesome weeds. Canada thistle lives for many years and spreads by means of its seeds and long underground stems. Stems are difficult to remove from the ground by using common digging tools. Although the stems can be easily broken but each broken part of the underground stem forms a completely new plant.