Scottish Thistle

Onopordum acanthium

• Position: full sun
• Soil: fertile, well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: July to August
• Hardiness: fully hardy biennial

  
  Large pale-purple or occasionally white, thistle-like flowerheads appear in July and August above spiny-toothed, grey-green leaves. This biennial, native Scotch thistle makes an architectural statement in a sunny gravel or wildlife garden. The ripening seedheads act as a magnet for goldfinches and the plant self-seeds freely.
  

• Garden care: Use beer traps or environmentally- friendly slug pellets to protect the tender young foliage against damage from slugs or snails.