Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (fence by track to car park field). Creeping Thistle because it's the only one with lilac-coloured flowers (other than Slender Thistle but that is much shorter).

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (02/09/2020) Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (fence by track to car park field). Creeping Thistle because it's the only one with lilac-coloured flowers (other than Slender Thistle but that is much shorter).

Shoreham Beach, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (quite a bit of it scattered around the beach). They have curved out upper points on the phyllaries.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (24/07/2022) Shoreham Beach, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (quite a bit of it scattered around the beach). They have curved out upper points on the phyllaries.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (10/07/2020) Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (fence by track to car park field). We've literally masses of them here.

Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (fence by track to car park field). With two lower ones starting to develop their seed-heads.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (02/09/2020) Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (fence by track to car park field). With two lower ones starting to develop their seed-heads.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (20/07/2021) Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (fence by track to car park field).

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (08/07/2021) Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (fence by track to car park field).

Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (arena bank next to field). Classic well-branched specimen with pale mauve flowers. Marsh Thistle is not dissimilar but that has spines all the way up the stems.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (01/07/2021) Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (arena bank next to field). Classic well-branched specimen with pale mauve flowers. Marsh Thistle is not dissimilar but that has spines all the way up the stems.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (01/07/2021) Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (arena bank next to field).

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (24/07/2022) Shoreham Beach, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (quite a bit of it scattered around the beach).

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (01/07/2021) Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (arena bank next to field). They can grow pretty tall.

Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (thistle alley on the yard which I keep on purpose). Not yet flowering. Young buds often seem to have these spider web hairs.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (15/06/2021) Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (thistle alley on the yard which I keep on purpose). Not yet flowering. Young buds often seem to have these spider web hairs.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (15/06/2021) Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (thistle alley on the yard which I keep on purpose). A young plant.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (07/08/2023) Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex.

Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W. Sussex (along the scrubland by the lagoons). Masses of it all over the place. Another reason I think it may be a hybrid, the lack of other flowerheads in a bunch. But it is not Marsh Thistle (the only possibility given the style of the bracts) as that has strongly welted stems and loads of flowers. Maybe it is a hybrid between Creeping and Marsh Thistle?

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (24/07/2022) Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W. Sussex (along the scrubland by the lagoons). Masses of it all over the place. Another reason I think it may be a hybrid, the lack of other flowerheads in a bunch. But it is not Marsh Thistle (the only possibility given the style of the bracts) as that has strongly welted stems and loads of flowers. Maybe it is a hybrid between Creeping and Marsh Thistle?

Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W. Sussex (along the scrubland by the lagoons). Masses of it all over the place. I reckon this may even be a hybrid as per previous comments.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (24/07/2022) Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W. Sussex (along the scrubland by the lagoons). Masses of it all over the place. I reckon this may even be a hybrid as per previous comments.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (08/07/2021) Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (car park field). Lower leaves have auricles.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (08/07/2021) Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (car park field). This is why they hurt if you touch them!

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (10/07/2020) Southbank Equestrian, Henfield (car park field).

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (24/07/2022) Shoreham Beach, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (quite a bit of it scattered around the beach).

Along stream by footpath from West Mill Lane leading to rear of water treatment plant, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. Classic shaving brush head pappuses.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (17/07/2022) Along stream by footpath from West Mill Lane leading to rear of water treatment plant, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. Classic shaving brush head pappuses.

Along stream by footpath from West Mill Lane leading to rear of water treatment plant, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (17/07/2022) Along stream by footpath from West Mill Lane leading to rear of water treatment plant, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (24/07/2022) Shoreham Beach, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (quite a bit of it scattered around the beach).

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (07/08/2023) Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex.

Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. As they develop, the shaving brush head becomes more rounded.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (07/08/2023) Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. As they develop, the shaving brush head becomes more rounded.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (07/08/2023) Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex.

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) (07/08/2023) Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. An individual seed with its parachutes.