Thistles

[McGregor]

The Cynara cardunculus image is just stunning - and thanks for introducing me to www.stridvall.se

Maybe someone will know this species from Colorado - I'm working on the principle that he Pikes Peak pic is the same species further on and it shows the flowers are actually purple not yellow.

[Hoy]

Trond - that really is a great thistle and there is obviously something else making some big rosettes all over the slope. Gigantism is a interesting high altitude alternative to being small like most of the plants we grow in the rock garden.

Those rosettes are Lobelia sp. I observed at least two different species of lobelia at Mt Kenya.
Malcolm, I should like to grow more thistles  if I had space for them.

[Lori S.]

Maybe someone will know this species from Colorado - I'm working on the principle that he Pikes Peak pic is the same species further on and it shows the flowers are actually purple not yellow.

Cirsium scopulorum?

http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.pikespeakphoto.com/images/flowers/alpine%2520flowers%2520img/Cirsium%2520scopulorum.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.pikespeakphoto.com/flowersPP/Cirsium.html&usg=__quLH5IXFafQtBblxeh06J1o3daA=&h=800&w=533&sz=187&hl=en&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=EO6sbyP8OPWmiM:&tbnh=143&tbnw=95&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcirsium%2Bscopulorum%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1

[McGregor]

Certainly looks like a good possibility Lori, thanks. I just thought it was so magnificent - bit like a snow lion - should come from Tibet really.

[McDonough]

I was sure that we'd be seeing some great thistly things here with the spiny 2010 growing season... maybe everyone is just saving up their digital photos.  Watching an waiting for some prickly stuff.

[Peter George]

I am growing a few small thistles, Centauria drabifolia and C. achtarovii. The former has spread to about 12 inches and now has multiple flowers, while the latter grows about 4 inches tall and spreads about 6 inches or so. It throws up one bloom, which is followed by a period of dormancy, and then another bloom later in the season. Both are hardy here in Massachusetts, and both are quite beautiful if sited properly so they can be seen easily.

So far (3 years) neither has produced viable seed, but given this summer's weather (HOT) and their Turkish origins, I'm hopeful that their more prolific blooms this year will get me some seeds that will germinate.

[McDonough]

Both are terrific!  Your gorgeous artistic close-up shot of C. achtarovii has me longing for that one, the the idea of a slowly spreading dwarf yellow one certain has its appeal too.  Yes, the hot weather might very well induce some seed, and without the usual litany of thunderstorms to possibly ruin seed.

[Peter George]

The C. achtarovii is a nice one, but the size of the plant and the brevity of the bloom are less impressive in real life than in a photograph. I imagine it would be more ..........impressive? in a grouping, so if possible I'm going to try to grow about 10 or so in one section of the garden. THAT would be impressive.

[Nold]

Years ago I grew Centaurea urvillei ssp armata, from Czech seed. Beautiful straw colored flowers and serious spines.
I grew another one (this would have been at the time of the NARGS conference in Vail) at the same time that was labeled "sp.", which, you would think, would stand for "species", but really stood for "Spines of Death, Invisible". The effect of putting your hand into the plant (like, to see if it really had spines) was similar to putting your hand into a nest of razor blades. I dug it out.

[Hoy]

Not strictly a thistle and not very spiny but it is the best here at the moment. Sonchus asper is a weed! However, I like the succulent leaves, the flowers are not much to boast of. Here it is together with Trifolium arvense which I also appreciate although they are both annuals (Are annuals allowed here?)

[Peter George]

My first photo of C. drabifolia was so bad I took another one which actually shows the plant, not just the flower. Here it is. Over the 2 plus years I've had it in the garden, I've had as many as 3 blooms open at one time, but right now I've got one open and one coming. Last summer it went dormant, and I was certain it was dead, but after about a month it started showing some growth, came back in September and bloomed again. It's a very nice plant.

[Lori S.]

It will be some time before most of the thistles are in bloom in my yard.  Here's all I got right now... a couple of rosettes of Carduncellus pinnatus that popped up between some semps.

[Lori S.]

Here's a beauty, Cirsium eriophoroides, endemic to SE Tibet.
http://www.tibetinfor.com/tibetzt/flower/huahui_en/04/04_17.htm

[Spiegel]

I grew this from seed as Jurinella (?).  The 2nd part of the label is illegible. Anyone have any ideas?

[Weiser]

Just noticed this thread. Great information!
I have had the farmers attitude when it comes to thistles the key work being "Weed" but that comes from dealing with Bull, Canadian, and Scotch infestations. You have opened my eyes to the many opportunities I have missed out on.
I do have a few shots of one of the tamer western North American thistles. Cirsium scariosum aka. Elk thistle. It is found growing in riparian meadows and open forest across the western half of North America. I have only seen this low form along the eastern Sierra foot hills. I know in some forms it sends up spikes of flowers in cream through pink hues.