Onopordum Acanthium

Onopordum Acanthium, also known as the cotton thistle, or the Scotch thistle, has a bit of a different appearance than the previously mentioned flowers. This particular thistle has a wide base that branches off in every which way. With large spiked bulbs and prickled stems, what look like wings protrude from the stems that have a silky, ribbon-like texture extend to the base of the bright pink to dark lavender head of the flower. If you decide to get this type of thistle as a tattoo, a word of advice would be to get it in a spot where you have enough room to accommodate all of its features and branches.

Cirsium

Cirsium, or better known as the plume thistle, is unlike many other thistles. The cirsium thistle have feathered hairs attached to their achenes, or to their seeds. Most thistles have pink and purple flowers sprouting from their bulbs, the cirsium however, not only has these pink and purple delicate flowers but they can also produce white and yellow ones as well. This being said, a tattoo of a cirsium plant can give you more options as far as the coloring goes. These flowering thistle plants also do not have as many ‘wings’ sprouting from the stems.

With all of this in mind, choosing a tattoo of a thistle should be a little easier. Choosing the right graphic for you may be the hardest part of this process, for we all have different tastes and opinions when it comes to art. Tattoos of the thistle should also always be done with color. A black and white thistle would not be as appealing as a thistle that had streaks of purple and green throughout it. The color is also very important because like every flower, the beauty of the petals are what the human eye is most attracted to. Thistle tattoos can virtually be placed anywhere on the body; most popular placements are around the ankle and forearms. If you want this piece to be more discreet, a graphic of a blooming thistle running along the side of the ribs is another great place to get this flower tattooed.