Botany: Canada thistle: invasive?

Self-tutoring about botany: the tutor mentions a surprise about the Canada thistle.

As a Canadian, I’m proud to say I’ve been stung by the Canada thistle likely hundreds of times, or even more, since early childhood. Its spiky leaves and purple flowers are easy to recognize, as is of course its sting. My experience is that Canada thistle has the uncanny ability to sting through jeans as well as gardening gloves. Yes: I’ve been stung by Canada thistle even recently.

Starting from childhood, I’ve been attracted to untended places. Often the most interesting of those are right near well-traveled, well-kept ones. In my experience, it’s between roads, along ditches, and adjacent to mown areas that one will just as likely encounter Canada thistle.

I was surprised to discover, today, that Canada thistle is an invasive species: it’s actually from the Old World. Who knew?

natureconservancy.ca

bcinvasives.ca