When you think of prickly flowers, the rose comes to mind first. Nevertheless, many plants have needles or thorns, and many of them are a great addition to gardens, borders and other landscape projects. From a biological point of view, thorns are a protective mechanism for plants. Well-known examples include aloe and thistle.
Bougainvillea (nictaginic)
The first in the top is a fast-growing shrubby vine that can grow up to 12 meters in length. Widely growing in India, it is popular for its attractive and vibrant color. It has been successfully grown outdoors in very protected areas of the UK. It is currently cultivated in warm places around the world.
Bougainvillea requires sufficient water and fertile soil. A long spiny flower uses stems to support itself in nearby plants or structures. The color palette is very diverse, and the large petals are actually large, thin bracts that surround tiny white flowers.
Argemona (poppy seeds)
A branched, pale blue-green leafy plant with white flowers, yellow juice and thin spines everywhere. Argema in Greek means eye cataract, for which plants of this genus were presumably a cure. In the West there are several species, all similar, some with petals of yellow, pinkish or lavender color. The leaves of the prickly flower are so unpleasant that even cattle avoid it.
All parts of plants are poisonous (including seeds) when ingested. Spines contain a substance that irritates the skin. Sensitivity to toxin depends on the age, weight, physical condition and individual susceptibility of the person. Children are the most vulnerable. Toxicity may vary depending on the season, different parts of the plant and its stage of growth. Also, the flower can absorb toxic substances, such as herbicides, pesticides and other pollutants, from water, air and soil.
Mountain Thistle (Cirsium scopulorum)
There are several dozen different thistles. Some of them breed from rhizomes, others - every two years by seeds. All spiky and with disc-shaped colors. The genus Cirsium (in Greek "dilated vein") was named by Philip Miller (1691-1771) because of the long-standing belief that the thistle distillate opens clogged veins.
This prickly flower was first named Asya Gray by Cirsium eriocephalum in 1864. Then, Edward Green in 1893 and 1911 named him Carduus eriocephalum. Cockerell named the plant C. scopulorum. Scopulorum means "rocky places" - a very suitable name for this species.
Porcupine tomato (Porcupine tomato, Solanum)
It is difficult to find a more aggressive looking combination of leaves and stems than Solanum, which is also the devil's thorn, a hardy bush that can grow one and a half meters. Some species contain a toxic alkaloid, which, when ingested, can cause serious illness and even death.
Solanum is a genus of the tomato family, and the prickly flower has many distinct similarities to the familiar tomatoes. A native of Madagascar, he loves lighted areas or partial shade, but always with well-drained soil. In the wild, the plant reproduces very slowly, because birds avoid berries, so the seeds are not distributed.
