In article , Hussein M.
writes
Hussein - the list follows!

That's a fascinating list of thistles Hussein and it illustrates how
much variation occurs under common or popular name descriptions of
plants. RHS Plantfinder CD 2000/01 gives an even wider range of plants
with 'thistle' in their name including six varieties of Globe Thistle,
most of which are listed as echinops.

I have always thought of Globe Artichokes, Cynara scolymus and Cardoon,
Cynara cardunculus as edible relatives of the common garden thistle,
Cirsium vulgare. They are in the compositae family, but none of the five
varieties of Cynara listed in Plantfinder have 'thistle' in their name.
What all of those plants share is vigour and hardiness, welcome enough
in cropping, but less so in decorative gardening.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.