This is one of the first thistles to flower and is a very spiny plant. It is common throughout England but is less common in Scotland and Ireland. It has a slightly cottony appearance just below the flowers where there are spiny bracts as well. It can be quite tall and this one was over 1 metre tall. This is another plant which the taxonomists have had a go at - it used to be called Carduus acanthoides before 1990.

Frodsham marshes, Cheshire, 19th May 2005

Added on October 5th 2005, updated 21st November 2008, updated 10th March 2010