Thistle

As thistles " spiky " plants are commonly armed with spines, respectively. The term goes back to Indo-European origins and means " sharp " or " sting ". Therefore thistle is in botany by no means a unique name, but a name component in different species and genera of Carduoideae, a subfamily of the daisy family ( Asteraceae):

• Ring thistles ( Carduus )
• Gold thistles or Eberwurzen ( Carlina )
• Safflower ( Carthamus )
• Thistles ( Cirsium )
• Echinops ( Echinops )
• Milk thistle patch ( Galactites )
• Scottish Thistle ( Onopordum )
• Ivory thistles ( Ptilostemon ), including the ivory thistle ( Ptilostemon afer)
• Marie thistle ( Silybum )
• Geese thistles ( Sonchus )

Because of their similar habit the carding ( Dipsacus ) and holly ( Eryngium ) are colloquially occasionally addressed as thistles.

Thistles in heraldry

The thistle is a common figure in heraldry and heard how the rose and the lily, the most famous emblem flowers. So thistles are considered national flower of Scotland, they are found both in the coat of arms of Scotland ornamental as well as the Scottish Order of the Thistle.