Spear

Just one plant to mention from today's walk.  As we walked along, heading for Shipley Hill, my attention was drawn to a large Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare).  I have mentioned these prickly plants before and I am constantly impressed by their formidably spiny stems and leaves as well as their beautiful, purple flower heads.  But this one was different.

Still unmistakably a Spear Thistle, the flowers of this plant were almost pure white - something I hadn't come across before, but well worth a picture or two.