Thistle National Flower

Other names include scots thistle or scottish thistle heraldic thistle and woolly thistle.

Thistle national flower. The name scots thistle comes from the flower used as the national emblem of scotland. But although it may look familiar you probably don t know the legends that surround it s adoption as a national scottish emblem. Common throughout the highlands islands and lowlands of scotland. The common name of cotton thistle derives from the cotton like hairs on the leaves.

But how on earth did it become the proud emblem of an entire nation. Legend has it that the thistle was soon adopted as the national emblem of scotland. In the early 16th century the thistle became a significant part of scotland s coat of arms. The scottish thistle is said to be the oldest national flower on record the legend of how this proud and majestic plant became a national emblem goes back many hundreds of years and is probably one of the most well known and easily recognized symbols of scotland.

The scottish thistle is the oldest recorded national flower and is probably one of the most well known and easily recognized symbols of scotland. Legend has it that an army of king haakon of norway intent on conquering the scots landed at the coast of largs at night to surprise the sleeping scottish clansmen. Second only to tartan nothing quite says scotland like this humble prickly weed. Thistle was adopted as the emblem of scotland during the rein of alexander iii 1249 1286.