Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) also called spear thistle is a plant you don’t want to mess with. It has many sharp spines that can easily penetrate clothing and skin. While the thistle can be a painful to the touch it can be a joy to look at. Its spines leaves and stems, have an interesting architecture, and their purple flowers that appear to come out of a spiky globe are very pretty indeed.
Still, to many it is considered a terrible weed that should be destroyed, and I understand that. Bull Thistle is not native to North America, is a pain to humans in the yard and cattle in the pasture. However if you are brave and well armored pick one of these lovely flowers, and put it in a vase on the kitchen table like my dad once did. It really brightens up a room.
Bull Thistle Cirsium vulgare, flower ans spikes.