Spear Thistle
Cirsium vulgare
With spiny leaves and a tall, bristly stem crowned by purple flower heads, the Spear Thistle is a favourite of bees and butterflies. Despite its prickly exterior, it serves as an important nectar source. On Lihou, it pops up in disturbed or rough grassland, forming spiky rosettes before shooting upwards to bloom in mid- to late summer.
- Habitat: Disturbed ground, grassland edges, coastal banks, field margins.
- When to See: Flowers in summer to early autumn (June–September).
- Length: Flowering stems can reach 60–100 cm or more.