What is this thing? My first thought was “weird mutant thistle” but I’ve never seen one quite like it. Roughly 4 feet tall.
by PunkosaurusRex
What is this thing? My first thought was “weird mutant thistle” but I’ve never seen one quite like it. Roughly 4 feet tall.
by PunkosaurusRex
25 Comments
I for one welcome our new thistle overlords.
WOW, that’s a healthy thistle!
ThislisHellacious😱
Definitely some kind of thistle. I have seen some about this tall on roadsides before.
Bull thistle
This is probably the native Cirsium horridulum again — the phyllaries are spine-tipped and the heads are immediately subtended by spiny leaves. Important for pollinators and birds (the seeds). It does occur in “Arkansas”. [https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/main.php?pg=show-key.php&taxonid=64393](https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/main.php?pg=show-key.php&taxonid=64393)
Just don’t touch it with bare skin! It has big thorns, but also the tiny, invisible kind of thorns as well!
I’ve walked around in nature in Greece and they have MASSIVE thistles. Over 6 ft tall and super thick almost looks like a tree.
We call it bull nettle
Thistles do grow that big. I once saw a taller, thicker one on the side of the road.
The stalk tastes just like celery! Just peel off the outer skin and watch you don’t get poked while harvesting
That is gorgeous! Nice thistle!
Thistle me timbers, she’s a beaut!
Bull Thistle
FWIW, artichokes are just a giant thistle mutant/variant.
Beautiful.
If ever there were a plant that screams “Do not touch” it’s thistle. These are pretty common in north Texas.
We had one in our yard in NH last year!
Yep, thistle. The only thing worse than the thorns is all the ants and wasps they attract
The bane of my existence.
In Ukrainian we call it “budiak”
This looks like the staff used by a Scottish druid.
Thistle.
Reminds me a lot of marsh thistle (UK), we get them quite a bit where I live. I’m used to seeing thistles this tall.
I love thistles and this one is serious! I grow them in my yard for the gold finch and pollinators.