Lamb Thistle

This magical wildflower was originally cultivated from the wild thistles native to the highlands of Scotland. It can be found all over the world.

## Description

Thistles are a kind of "weed" or wildflower with stiff, sharp spines. They are extremely uncomfortable to step on! The variety called Lamb Thistle can be detected as faintly magical, and is notable for its soft tuft of grey/white, wool-like down on the top of its sharp-spined head.  Its long, pale leaves are jagged and fuzzy, but also covered in sharp spines that grow from each jagged point along the edge of the leaves. Most thistles plants have pink, fuschia, or blue blossoms.

The plant easily grows up to 12 feet tall and 6 feet across within a single year of growth. If stepped on or run into, it will softly whistle in alarm, though the sound is usually hard to make out over the pained outcries of whomever ran into its sharp spines!

### Magical Properties

The following properties are commonly ascribed to Lamb Thistle:

* Alarms
* Traps
* Wind/air magic
* Poison Resistance
* Healing, astringent (nonmagical poultices)
* Protection
* Breaking hexes
* Anti-Transmutation
* Drying

## Habitat

Lamb thistle is extraordinarily hardy and invasive. It prefers areas with dry summers, and establishes easily in meadows, disturbed fields, scrubland and shrubland, and warm hills. They provide nectar as well as seeds and nesting floss for many species. It is drought-resistant.

### Harvest

Thick leather gloves are still not a guarantee you won't get pricked by the long, sharp needles along the leaves. It is best to avoid touching the plant yourself, and instead use tools such as long pruning shears and rakes to manuever and harvest from the plant.

If harvesting from a controlled harden plant, any part can be collected at the time it is needed without endangering the whole plant. Most farmers and landowners are happy to see it gone from their pastures, however, as thick stands of it can prevent grazing, or can overgrow a passage or gate. To fully remove the plant, it must be cut a few centimeters down into its roots to ensure all leaves are collected, and then it can be chopped and stored for later sorting and preparation.

### Preparation

Many parts of the Lamb Thistle are usable. The fuzz on the leaves and stems can be collected and used to stuff pillows or toys, or felted into some rough magical fabrics. The fleshy bulb under the downy flower can be cooked and used in potions. The seeds can be pressed into an oil, or crushed in a mortar and then steeped as a tea, and the leaves can also be finely chopped and then steeped.

Some apothecaries sell premade blends of boar mint with thistle seed and fennel seed for use in crafting poison-resistance potions, which are popular among certain magizoologists as well as bloodlines.

### Gardening

While some view it as a nuisance weed, it is often grown as a natural defense and deterrent for garden or home security, particularly in dry regions where it can easily thrive with very little care or watering. The tall, grey, prickly mass can take on the appearance of an abstract work of art that can serve as a garden centerpeice, if carefully controlled.

They can easily grow out of control into a thicket of spines and take over the beds of smaller plants if not carefully monitored and pruned aggressively, however! Remove the flowers immediately after they finish blooming, to prevent seeds from spreading. The seeds can live for up to 20 years in the soil, so be cautious about letting any seeds fall and remain in the garden soil.

## Known Uses of Lamb Thistle

* Curse-Break Elixir
* Cleansing Elixir
* Clear-Sight Potion
* Truth Serum
* Greater Clarify
* Trueform Elixir
* Poison Resist Elixir
* Breath Bubble Enchantment
* Artifice crafting of some fabrics, enchanted pillows and quilts, and enchanted plush toys