thistles
Prickly purple flowers
Thistles is the plural of thistle, a prickly plant with purple or pink flower heads and spiny leaves.
Thistles grow wild in fields and roadsides, often considered weeds.
The thistle is Scotland's national emblem.
Figuratively, something described as full of thistles is difficult or hazardous: The path to reform was strewn with thistles.
Uninvited plant
- invasiveEncroaching without welcome
- infestationPest takeover situation
- overgrowthUncontrolled plant expansion
- unwantedNot wished for
pest · clearing · eradication · spraying · troublesome · spreading · choking · encroaching
Prickly-burred wild plant
- nettlesPrickly plants causing rash
- dandelionYellow flower, white puffball
- artichokeEdible flower bud
- cardoonThistle cultivated for stems
wildflower · biennial · perennial · herbaceous · rosette · taproot · flowerhead · composite
Stiff, pointed projections
- thornsSharp plant projections
- pricklesSmall sharp plant projections
- barbsSharp points or jibes
- sharpFine-edged, or astute
bristly · spiny · needle-like · jagged · serrated · scratchy · piercing · defensive
Able to endure difficulty
- tenaciousStubbornly determined to continue
- persistentContinuing despite difficulty
- drought-tolerantAble to withstand aridity
- adaptableAble to adjust readily
survivor · unyielding · enduring · steadfast · thriving · colonizing · self-seeding · vigorous
Northern British nation
- heraldryStudy of armorial bearings
- national flowerOfficial floral emblem
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- protectionGuarding against harm
nobility · resilience · coat of arms · motto · royal · tartan · Celtic · pride
weed
Uninvited plant
- invasiveEncroaching without welcome
- infestationPest takeover situation
- overgrowthUncontrolled plant expansion
unwanted · pest · clearing · eradication · spraying · troublesome · spreading · choking · encroaching · persistent
burdock
Prickly-burred wild plant
cardoon · wildflower · biennial · perennial · herbaceous · rosette · taproot · flowerhead · composite · asteraceae
spines
Stiff, pointed projections
sharp · bristly · spiny · needle-like · jagged · serrated · scratchy · piercing · defensive · armored
hardy
Able to endure difficulty
- tenaciousStubbornly determined to continue
- persistentContinuing despite difficulty
- drought-tolerantAble to withstand aridity
adaptable · survivor · unyielding · enduring · steadfast · thriving · colonizing · self-seeding · vigorous · determined
Scotland
Northern British nation
- heraldryStudy of armorial bearings
- national flowerOfficial floral emblem
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
protection · nobility · resilience · coat of arms · motto · royal · tartan · Celtic · pride · guardianship
- plant defensesthorns, spines, trichomes, toxins, latex
- meadowsgrass, grasses, wildflower fields, clover, daisies
- sharp pointsneedles, point, pins, tip, spikes
- weedingcrabgrass, hoeing, hand weeding, herbicide, weed killer
- weedsdandelion, crabgrass, nettles, ragweed, bindweed
- Biblical plantsfig, olive branch, olives, grapes, vines
thistlesroses
Thorny flowering shrubs
lamb's ear · pussy willows · cotton bolls · moss · dandelion puffs
thistlesroses
Thorny flowering shrubs
garden flowers · ornamental plants · orchids · tulips · peonies
- milk thistleHepatoprotective flowering weed
- thistle downFeathery seed dispersal
- thistle seedSpiny wildflower's progeny
- milk thistle teaInfusion from spiny purple plant