thistle - any of numerous plants of the family Compositae and especially of the genera Carduus and Cirsium and Onopordum having prickly-edged leaves

genus Onopordon, genus Onopordum, Onopordon, Onopordum - a genus of Eurasian herbs of the family Compositae with prickly foliage and large purplish flowers

plume thistle, plumed thistle - any of numerous biennial to perennial herbs with handsome purple or yellow or occasionally white flower heads

Cirsium eriophorum, European woolly thistle - woolly thistle of western and central Europe and Balkan Peninsula