6 thoughts on “Alien Invader”

  1. We think of it as our very own Scottish thistle Loren – at least it looks very similar. The thistle was adopted as the emblem of Scotland during the rein of Alexander III (1249 -1286). Legend has it that an army of King Haakon of Norway, intent on conquering the Scots, landed at Largs at night to surprise the sleeping Scottish clansmen. In order to move more stealthily the Norsemen removed their footwear but one of Haakon’s men stood on a thistle and shrieked in pain, alerting the sleeping clansmen. The Scots won the ensuing battle. The first use of the Thistle as a royal symbol of Scotland was on silver coins issued by James III in 1470.

  2. I’ll have to let Mike know that it has a very royal look, alan.

    It is an invasive weed, and in Eastern Washington you can be fined if you allow it to grow on your property.

    The one pictured here was found along the road in nearby Pt Defiance, not in my own yard.

    Beautiful or not, I’m not encouraging it to grow on my property.

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