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Celtic Radio Community > Scotland > Thistle!


Posted by: Celtic_Seba 31-Jan-2004, 11:22 PM
hey guys i have a question, i was wondering if any of u guys know do any of u guys know where can i find a Thistle??? i need to buy one, i mean not the flower, the plant instead, ???? any suggestions??????????? THNK!!!!!!! bubbye

Posted by: andylucy 01-Feb-2004, 12:07 AM
Depending on where you live in the US, you can find thistle growing on the side of the road. Wait until the head is full of thistledown, and take some and plant it. Other people might be able to tell you where to get it now, instead of waiting until summer.

Just my tuppence.

Andy

Posted by: lighthouse 01-Feb-2004, 07:10 AM
If you do any festivals you can frequently find Thistle there. If you want it to grow go to a local garden shop and ask them for help too. It is a wild flower so It may not be too difficult to find/get to grow depending on where you live ane the climate.
darlene

Posted by: Aon_Daonna 01-Feb-2004, 08:33 AM
hmm... well, I sort of thought they grow all over the world (curses her tiny euro view) ... they are not predominantly scottish. In Germany they are actually seen as a weed =/

Posted by: Catriona 01-Feb-2004, 09:12 AM
They are seen as a weed in Scottish gardens, too, AD - even if they ARE our national flower!

The big, ornamental thisles are the one that we grow as our national symbol. Next time you are in Princes Street Gardens during the summer, have a look at the bed to the left of the florral clock.... They grow to a HUGE size in there!


Posted by: scottish2 01-Feb-2004, 09:28 AM
Weeds here in the US as well. But oh so pretty weeds. wink.gif

Posted by: Aon_Daonna 01-Feb-2004, 11:18 AM
I like them.. they have always been my favourite weed smile.gif I've seen the ornamental ones... I remember that I was thinking how they keep them from spreading everywhere biggrin.gif

Posted by: Catriona 01-Feb-2004, 04:59 PM
AD - I keep them in the back of one of my long herbaceous borders which is in front of an old stone wall.... I keep them under control by planting them deeply - in large pots which restrict their roots, but allow them to look like they are planted in the earth of the border! They grow big - but not too big.... I then selectively 'weed' out the seedlings, to put in small pots for future use!

Posted by: Aon_Daonna 01-Feb-2004, 06:17 PM
well, I'm still in planning my garden this year (first time I had one). One patch is definitly going to be reserved for kitchen herbs...
We have a small patch which is surrounded by concrete slabs on the way to our door in which we considered planting an ornamental thistle.

Posted by: Celtic_Seba 02-Feb-2004, 12:02 AM
hey guys thanks a lot to all of u!!!!! i guess ill find out where to buy on and plant it in my garden smile.gif but i dont know where to buy seeds or the plant sad.gif so ill keep looking. thnks! bye

Posted by: Catriona 02-Feb-2004, 04:26 AM
Go to a garden centre or nursery and ask! That's what most people do when trying to find new species!

I know that some US online garden centres sell them - cos I've a vague recollection of someone asking this question on another site I visit.... The Latin name for the plant is onopordun acanthium But why don't you just key in a search with the key words Scottish Thistle/USA/seeds and see what it sites it recommends.... maybe one of them will be based in your area.

Posted by: barddas 04-Feb-2004, 02:36 PM
That's a good idea, Cat!
Also, some where in THE PUB, the thread ' green thumbs', I posted a site that sells thistle seed. It's near the beginning to middle of the thread...... I can't recall the site right off......


Cheers

Posted by: barddas 04-Feb-2004, 04:25 PM
I found the link for you... Pg 14 of "green thumbs' thread


Posted by: Arianrhod 08-Feb-2004, 08:02 AM
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Asteraceae/Cirsium_vulgare.html

I hope this helps..

One of the best ways I find to get wild things in the garden,
is birdfeeders...

I have Mexican Sunflowers, and a great low acid yellow tomato..
Thanks to my feathered friends..

Good luck.. I put in a good bit of Heather last year..
Seems Scot plants like South Western Pa ..

In Service to the Dream,
Paula

Posted by: shamalama 12-Feb-2004, 09:02 AM
Scientific Name: Onopordon acanthium
Common Name: Thistle, Scotch
Other Common Names: OtherThistle, Scotch
Plant Type: Biennial
Where To Plant: Full Sun to Partly Shady
Soil Types: Average
Zones: 8-Apr
Germination: Easy
Number of Seeds Per Pack: 50
Uses: Medicinal
Notes: Juice of the plant has been used as a anticancer.

?The rose amongst the thorns.?

Scotch thistle is sold as an ornamental plant. It has reportedly been used to treat cancers and ulcers and to diminish discharges of mucous membranes. The receptacle was eaten in earlier times like an artichoke. The cottony hairs on the stem have been occasionally collected to stuff pillows. Oil for Scotch thistle seeds has been used in Europe for burning and cooking.

Price: $2.25/pkt of seeds

http://SandMountainHerbs.com


Posted by: Cragganmore 12-Feb-2004, 01:12 PM
Oher than Lighthouse's earlier post, does anyone know where I can download quality pictures of thistles for personal use? I have a couple but the digital images do not enlarge well.

Thanks in advance!

Posted by: Aon_Daonna 13-Feb-2004, 09:13 AM
use google's picture search! http://www.google.com/ I'm sure you'll find a few things there.

Thistle oil used to be very popular in Germany for cooking I remember

Posted by: Stevo 28-Feb-2004, 01:34 PM
I always wondered where I could find a Scottish Thistle plant or seeds, I knew they were weeds and that I would more than likely have to hunt for one. I never seen one growing wild. I'm glad I found these posts.

Thanks for the link shamalama, I just ordered a package and I'll let everyone know if I have a green thumb or not.

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