Many garden owners and gardeners think of annoying weeds when they hear the name thistle. These are many different prickly plants from different genera, some of which can be very decorative.
There are many different types of thistle (here: the globe thistle)
The variety of thistles
The life expectancies of different thistles vary considerably. There are quite short-lived biennial variants such as the thistle, ring thistle or silver thistle. In the first year they only form the rosette of leaves. After flowering in the second year, these plants die. This is often hardly noticeable, because these thistles often sow themselves. The cotton thistle, which can be up to two meters high, also belongs in this category.
Other thistles are perennials. Thistles and globe thistles sprout anew every year. They can be combined well with large-flowered plants such as yarrow, tickseed or coneflower. But ornamental grasses also form a nice contrast to the prickly thistles.
location and soil
No matter which type of thistle you have chosen, almost everyone likes a rather lean and dry location. Only the purple creeping thistle is an exception, it prefers a fresh to slightly moist and nutrient-rich soil.
plant and care for
Thistles are difficult to transplant thanks to their deep taproots. Therefore, you should sow biennial species in the summer at the desired location. Perennial varieties are best planted in spring or fall. The easy-care plants do not need any special care, but are difficult to remove from the garden.
Garden thistles in winter
Even in winter, thistles are a great eye-catcher in your garden when they are covered with frost or snow. Therefore, you should not cut back these plants in autumn but only in spring. They do not need any special care even in the cold season.
The essentials in brief:
- sunny location
- mostly lean and dry soil
- mostly long taproots
- best planting time: spring or autumn
- Sow biennial varieties: summer
- sow immediately at a later location
- do not transplant well
- Cut back: in March
tips
If possible, do not plant thistles directly on the path, many species can become quite large and contact with them is often painful.