Yet Another Thistle

I don't know what it is about these thistle blossoms, but they sure are attractive. Maybe it's the bright colors, maybe it's the thought of something so delicate and beautiful surrounded by all those spines. Either way, they are a wonder to behold. This bud was on a large thistle in a field near the Rye Road Preserve in Eastern Manatee county near the Manatee River. The field was filled with little yellow flowers and several mammoth thistle bushes covered in blossoms at every stage of development from bud to seed. The photo below shows the actual flower in full blossom, with all it's pink glory.