Melancholy Thistle

Common Name: Melancholy Thistle

Latin Name: Cirsium heterophyllum

Family: Asteraceae

Melancholy thistle has a northern distribution and is absent from southern Britain. It is relatively common in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and can quite often be observed on wild roadside verges. It can also be found below an altitude of 400m in pastures, unimproved hay meadows, open woods and on streamsides. This thistle bears no sharp spines and has attractive solitary flowers. The seed produced is sought after by some birds, particularly finches. The name melancholy thistle comes from the potion which was once made from this plant to cure melancholia otherwise known as depression.