Scottish Thistle Pictures, Images and Stock Photos

Browse 1,400+ Scottish Thistle stock photos and images available, or search for scottish thistle icon or scottish thistle close up to find more great stock photos and pictures.

Most popular

The thistle has been an important symbol of Scottish heraldry for over 500 years. It also represents one of the highest honours the country can give an individual. Founded by James III in 1687, the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry which is bestowed to those who have made an outstanding contribution to the life of Scotland and the greater United Kingdom.

A patch of thistles, the national flower of Scotland, seen in a mountainous Scottish Highland landscape near Inchnadamph on Loch Assynt. In the background the ruined remains of Ardvreck Castle are visible.

Flowering plants (Angiospermae, Asteraceae): 1) Mountain arnica (Arnica montana); 2) Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris); 3) Silver thistle (Carlina acaulis); 4) Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius); 5) St. Benedict's thistle (Cnicus benedictus); 6) Centaurea jacea; 7) Brown knapweed (Centaurea jacea); 8) Lesser burdock (Arctium minus, or Lappa minor); 9) Cotton thistle (Onopordum acanthium); 10) Musk thistle (Carduus nutans); 11) Stemless thistle (Cirsium acaule); 12) Creeping thistle, or Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense); 13) Chicory (Cichorium intybus); 14) Hypochaeris radicata; 15-16) Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale); 17) Rattlesnake root (Prenanthes purpurea); 18) Wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa). Italian woodbine (Lonicera caprifolium); 29) Moschatel (Adoxa moschatellina). Hand-colored wood engraving, published in 1887.

Onopordum acanthium (cotton thistle, Scotch (or Scottish) thistle), not to be confused with Cirsium vulgare - spear thistle, which is also known as Scotch or Scottish thistle - is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Europe and Western Asia from the Iberian Peninsula east to Kazakhstan, and north to central Scandinavia, and widely naturalised elsewhere, with especially large populations present in the United States and Australia. It is a vigorous biennial plant with coarse, spiny leaves and conspicuous spiny-winged stems.

of 25

© 2024 iStockphoto LP. The iStock design is a trademark of iStockphoto LP. Browse millions of high-quality stock photos, illustrations, and videos.