Woolly thistle (Cirsium eriophorum) against a clear blue sky

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The woolly thistle is the UK's tallest native thistle at up to tall and with a flower head 7cm across. It can be recognized by its reddish purple flower backed by a large globular head of spiny bracts covered in woolly hairs. Flowering occurs throughout July to September. The woolly thistle is a perennial of limestone, chalk or lime rich clays and is usually found on dry, neglected habitats such as un-grazed grasslands, open scrub or woodland edges, although it can occasionally by found on more disturbed ground such as quarry sites.

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Size: 5100px × 3386px
Location: Dorset, UK
Photo credit: © Charles Bough / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: blue, bracts, chalk, cirsium, clay, eriophorum, flower, globular, hairy, head, limestone, prickly, sky, thistle, weed, wild, woolly