Thistle

Thistle

Dipsacus fullonum also called thistle is a field plant commonly found throughout Europe. The plant is biennial and belongs to the thistle family. In Poland it occurs wild - field thistle - throughout the country. Thistle has a number of uses in floriculture, herbalism and beekeeping. Until recently, bark thistle was used in the textile industry for wool carding (combing out tangled hair), currently decorative dried thistle, i.e. bloomed, dried inflorescences of bark thistle we can most often meet as a variety in the composition of dried flowers.

Thistle - appearance and characteristics of the plant

Dipsacus is a very durable plant. Its stems can reach up to 2m, and oval, spiky inflorescences up to 10cm. Throughout the stem are distributed small spikes, and the leaves at the base connect which makes it often confused with spotted thistle. During flowering, common thistle has purple flowers, which turn into a spiky ovate after flowering. Thistle has a very extensive root system, which reaches up to 60cm and is the most valued part of the plant in herbalism.

Thistle - cultivation and use

Dried thistle is one of the plants that are simple to grow. Polish sorrel does well in a sunny position. The soil should be moderately moist, and Dipsacus can cope with any substrate, even those poor in nutrients. Dipsacus thistle blooms in the second year from seedling, this period is from July to August.

As an ornamental plant, ornamental thistle is readily planted in gardens, and its dried heads are a popular addition to dried flower bouquets, bouquets and for making crafts. Common sorrel is easy to color, so in floristry we can meet a wide range of colors of this plant. It goes well with other spiky plants like scallop. What is common bark thistle good for? In herbalism, thistle is famous for its analgesic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties. It has gained its greatest popularity for its effective use of common bark root in the treatment of Lyme disease. Beekeepers also love thistle - it is an extremely honey-giving plant - up to 300kg of honey can be obtained from a hectare of thistle cultivation!

With which dried plants to compose thistle?

Not only in herbalism, bristle is also a popular raw material in florist and handicraft workshops. So how to use ornamental thistle in floristry? Most often we reach for it when creating bouquets of dried flowers - it is an intriguing addition to the composition. In wreaths and harvest wreaths it will also find use, but due to its stiff stem we then use mainly the heads themselves. With the increase in ecological awareness among customers, plastic cemetery bouquets are losing popularity. Instead, we are more likely to reach for dried ones, and it is the bleached thistle that reigns supreme, especially in bouquets for All Saints' Day. During the Christmas season, red thistle will find use, accompanied by cotton and whitened ruscus will create a beautiful natural Christmas decoration. Remember that the listed dried plants are only a suggestion, do not be afraid to experiment and combine the most diverse species of dried and live plants.