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Asteraceae
Cotton Thistle
Onopordum acanthium
Noble defiance.
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Genus
- Onopordum
- Native to
- Europe, Western Asia
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- biennial
- Height
- 4-8 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- dry, well-drained soil
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 5-9
- Lifespan
- biennial
Did you know
- Cotton thistle is widely believed to be the thistle of Scotland's national emblem, though the exact species has never been officially confirmed.
- The entire plant is covered in dense white woolly hairs, giving it the 'cotton' appearance and a dramatic silvery-white silhouette.
- According to Scottish legend, Norse invaders stepped on thistles while sneaking barefoot, alerting defenders and saving the kingdom.
- The spiny-winged stems are so formidable that the plant was sometimes grown around castle walls as a living defensive barrier.
- Despite being a weed in many areas, cotton thistle is an excellent nectar plant and supports numerous species of bees and butterflies.
Color meanings
0
resilience
1
independence