There have been so many wildflowers this year and I’ve been busy taking photos left right and center so that I can enjoy the splash of colour from my computer when the landscape inevitably returns to the numerous shades of brown that it does for the majority of the year. But all this taking of photos has left me with a dilemma. So far I’ve amassed nearly 2000 photos and not only is that presenting a small nightmare in terms of sorting through them and editing them into a presentable format, but also trying to work out a way in which to share some of the best photos with you without you falling asleep from boredom of looking at too many photos of flowers.
I have finally decided that I’m going to break it up into a few posts based on themes over the coming months.
For this post I’ve chosen the theme of what I’m terming “Thistles”. This is not to say that botanically all these flowers are indeed “thistles”, but for the purpose of my sorting it’s how I’ve grouped them.
So without further ado here they are in all their glory for you to enjoy.
Carthamus tenuis or Slender Safflower is a distaff thistle.
Onopordum cynarocephalum or Artichoke Cotton Thistle.
Notobasis syriaca or Syrian thistle
I haven’t been able to identify this flower. Can anyone help out?
I also haven’t been able to identify this one although I think that it is some type of Centaurea or Knapweed.
And again this one.
This photo is of the previous thistles flowers after they have died. Even in this stage they are beautiful with the golden light reflecting off the opened petals.
The next photos are of echinops or globe thistles as they are commonly known. The photos show how they progressed from being green and spikey to being in bloom with hundreds of white, purple and blue accentuated flowers. In arabic the word used to describe the spikes is shorkah which I found interesting as this is the same word that is used to describe fish bones. The spines are incredibly sharp and not unlike a fish bone. These flowers might look beautiful but they certainly discourage any contact.
Middle East Moments 
Love ur pix especially the spiky ones- so textural. I was pleasantly surprised by how many different wild flowers there are in the Saudi desert here but nothing to compare to the wonderful collection I saw when in Jordan in the spring- just beautiful 🙂 looking forward to the next instalment.
Aren’t they amazing. Jordan really did turn on a wildflower display this spring. I’m yet to visit Saudi Arabia and looking forward to being able to.
Strange but beautiful: a lesson to be learned . . .
I love finding beauty in the things that most people look past.
I love the dreaminess of these flower pics, prickly or not! The first pic is definitely my favourite!
I have to say that it’s my favourite too. The locals are certainly getting a good laugh at my expense seeing me taking photos of thistles, but with that beautiful setting sun how could I not!
Wow, they’re gorgeous! What camera do you use, if you don’t mind me asking?
Hi Tracy – thanks. I’ve got an old Canon 40D DSLR with a 17-85mm IS lens. Would so love to upgrade the body and also invest in a macro lens.
Amazing photos!!
Thank you!
Great photos of the spiky devils! They hurt like crazy if you accidentally step on them D= Though I think thats fairly obvious to anyone who gets a good look at them, haha.
Thanks Natalie. I accidentally sat on one when I was taking some of the photos – trying to get a better angle and it got me! Certainly didn’t tickle! 🙂
Great pictures – and I am amazed that you find out all their names, too!
Thank you – the internet has been a great resource in finding out most of the names. There’s still some that I haven’t been able to identify as yet.
You are a talented photographer 🙂
I see some of these in Amman but most of them are new to me. I am always amazed at the pairing of gentle delicate flowers with harsh thornes
That’s something that interested me as well – the flowers are inviting you to come and look and yet the thorns are sending out a warning to stay away. I’ve loved having time to really stop and “look” at what is around us.
Hi, great pictures. I think I can help with some of the ID’s.
The plant under Notobasis syriaca is a species of Cousinia sp. I think it could be Cousinia moabitica.
The next one, I think, Is Centaurea pallescens.
The next one I really don’t know.
The next thorny pink one is another Centaurea, I think it is Centaurea eryngioides.
The Globe thistle is I think Echinops spinosissimus ssp. spinosus.
Hope that helps, if you ever have a chance to collect seeds I would love to grow any of them in my garden.
Regards
Sal