England has a rose, Wales a daffodil, Ireland a shamrock and Scotland the purple, prickly but proud thistle which has been our national emblem for centuries, here’s why.

The botanical name for the national floral emblem of Scotland, the thistle, is Onopordum acanthium, and as we all know, thistle plants have sharp prickles.The sharp protrusions can be anywhere on ...

The thistle is the national emblem of Scotland, thanks to King James III, who first used the symbol on silver coins issued in 1470. View full post on X.