Kildare Wildlife Watch: What is a Spear Thistle?

Niamh O'Donoghue, 18 Aug


I hope you have had an opportunity to get outside, and not only enjoy
what feels like the first of the warmer drier weather we have
experienced since the start of the summer, but also to explore and
discover the diversity of wildlife in your local area.

This week there is a prickly wildflower in bloom, the spear thistle
(Feochadán colgach as Gaeilge). This is a native plant and not easily
confused with other wildflowers. Unfortunately due to spiny leaves of
this plant, I am sure at some stage if you have come across this
thistle in your flower bed, vegetable patch or lawn. You may have
pulled, mowed or cut it in an attempt to eradicate it from your garden.

As a perennial in its first year of growth, the spear shaped prickly
leaves grow in a rosette close to the ground. In year two, the plant's
long tap root supports the upright stems where the flowers are held
singly or sometimes in clusters at the top of the stem.

The purple, fluffy-looking flowers also sit on top of a spiny ball.
While this wildflower is considered a weed it does have many benefits
to wildlife.

A study supported by the UK Insect Pollinators IniEaEve found that
spear thistle was ranked the 6th most nectar producing
plant, supporting a variety of pollinators including bumblebees,
hoverflies and butterflies.

The seeds produced in autumn are also a favourite of goldfinches and
other garden birds. These seeds are also the only means of the spear
thistle reproducing. Many wildflowers that we refer to as ‘weeds’ are
known to spread efficiently due to their ability to not only reproduce
by seed, but also through vegetative growth, where their roots have the
ability to
produce a new plant.

So while we do refer to this plant as a ‘weed’ it is not as bad as
others! This week make time to walk through your community watching for
the diversity of wildlife all around us. If you would like help
identifying a wildlife observation in your community you can contact me
on bogs@ipcc.ie.

- Nuala Madigan - Bog of Allen Nature Centre, Lullymore, Rathangan