Thistles

Scotch thistles were probably introduced into Australia by the Europeans in the early 1800s. It wasn't long before they became a pest. There are different types of pests, like the blue thistle, cotton thistle, heraldic thistle and woolly thistle. They might have been introduced because people wanted to have plants that reminded them of their home land, but they probably didn't think of the consequences. (by SW) Scotch thistles are a real pest in Victoria and there weren't any until the Europeans came to this country. They are hard to get rid of because they can be dispersed in many different ways - you may be guilty of this without even knowing it! Scotch thistles have toothed hairs which can stick to clothing or animal fur, giving the plant a free ride! Strong winds and water can also disperse the seeds, so you can see it would be hard to get rid of this pest! (DL and JS)