August 13, 2008
Bull thistle, Ciricium vulgare
Look but don't touch! The showy flowers of the Bull Thistle are well protected by a plant that is spiny all over. The seeds are attached to small feathery parachutes like those of the Dandelion, and are carried far and wide by the wind. Because the plants are non-native, somewhat invasive, and very hostile, they are oftenremoved from the Reservation by volunteers and landscape crews.