What kind of thistles are in the UK?
There are two groups of thistles: Carduus and Cirsium. If you’re interested in the distinction between them, it get’s a bit technical but there is a note at the end of this page. What surprised us initially was the number of different thistles there are in the UK.
Why are the heads of thistles called Composites?
The flower heads are made up of a number of individual flowers or florets giving rise to this family being called “composites”. As children we all get to recognise thistles early on since they have prickly spines that hurt, so we learn to avoid them.
What kind of animals eat the seeds of thistles?
The leaves and nectar of thistles are very good sources of food for many insects, such as the caterpillars of the Painted Lady butterfly, and some birds, such as Goldfinch, eat the seeds making them an extremely valuable wildlife resource. There are two groups of thistles: Carduus and Cirsium.
What kind of thistle has a feathery receptacle?
Carduus – those with simple pappus hairs and a bristly receptacle. This is illustrated clearly in the image of a Musk Thistle seed where the hairs are unbranched. Cirsium (or Plume-thistles) – those with a pappus of feathery hairs.
There are two groups of thistles: Carduus and Cirsium. If you’re interested in the distinction between them, it get’s a bit technical but there is a note at the end of this page. What surprised us initially was the number of different thistles there are in the UK.
The flower heads are made up of a number of individual flowers or florets giving rise to this family being called “composites”. As children we all get to recognise thistles early on since they have prickly spines that hurt, so we learn to avoid them.
Carduus – those with simple pappus hairs and a bristly receptacle. This is illustrated clearly in the image of a Musk Thistle seed where the hairs are unbranched. Cirsium (or Plume-thistles) – those with a pappus of feathery hairs.
The leaves and nectar of thistles are very good sources of food for many insects, such as the caterpillars of the Painted Lady butterfly, and some birds, such as Goldfinch, eat the seeds making them an extremely valuable wildlife resource. There are two groups of thistles: Carduus and Cirsium.
