Thistles

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MikeHardman

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Thistles
« on: September 26, 2011, 09:37:57 PM »
Carlina pygmaea (red thistle) is one of those plants that you forget for most of the year, or at least I do.
...Until it gently says hello to the observant walker from its pathside haunts at this time of the year.
I have no desire to have it in my garden, but I appreciate it in its natural haunts.
« Last Edit: March 11, 2012, 09:18:20 AM by Alisdair »
Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England

The Cypriot

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Thistles
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2011, 08:38:08 PM »
Reasonably common impressive thistle - ? Carlina involucrata - in Cyprus
« Last Edit: March 11, 2012, 09:14:32 AM by Alisdair »

David Bracey

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Re: Carlina involucrata
« Reply #2 on: October 12, 2011, 08:29:13 PM »
This is an impressive "weed" which usually arrives in mid- late summer when there is not much else around.  I`m surprised that it has not yet been commercialised by some pepiniere.
MGS member.

 I have gardened in sub-tropical Florida, maritime UK, continental Europe and the Mediterranean basin, France. Of the 4 I have found that the most difficult climate for gardening is the latter.

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John

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Re: Carlina involucrata
« Reply #3 on: October 12, 2011, 11:06:57 PM »
I don't think that this is correctly identified as I think that it is Scolymus hispanicus. Common name "Spanish Oyster" which is usually a biennial and very tasty!
John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.

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Fleur Pavlidis

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Re: Carlina involucrata
« Reply #4 on: October 13, 2011, 10:29:36 AM »
I agree with John. I have this in my garden growing wild and I leave it alone but it's very spiny and not really what I'd want in a flower bed, David.
MGS member, Greece. I garden in Attica, Greece and Mt Goulinas (450m) Central Greece