Lovely and Prickly....

...thistles, another plant in the Asteraceae family - a very large family, indeed!  Thistles are wonderful pollinators, especially for bees and butterflies. They're also edible, the stalks, leaves, and the unopened flowers, which apparently can be prepared like you do artichokes (also in the Asteraceae family)!  Oil from the seeds can be used for burning and cooking, The cottony fluff can be used to stuff pillows.  The thistle is the national flower of Scotland, symbolizing its resilience, defiance, and strength,  I love these tall, strong, beautiful, prickly plants.  Their pops of color when we go hiking always make me smile.

Wishing you the properties of the thistle today and every day.