As more flowers open, I have more reports of fragrant flowers in the garden. This one is a shocker! What is purple, poofy, invasive, and smells divine? You probably didn't guess it, the Canadian thistle, Cirsium arvense. I wonder if the Cirsiums sold in catalogs also are fragrant?
I discovered the fragrance sheerly by accident while getting rid of some thistles, as I try very hard to at least not let them go to seed, so I'm currently on the hunt for missed thistles getting ready to bloom. It is one of those memorable fragrances that makes me want to keep sniffing and sniffing, and I can feel the fragrance molecules interacting at some level with my nervous system, soothing, uplifting, etc. Another such fragrance recently is the Mock Orange Philadelphus 'Snowflake', which while reminding me of orange or lemon blossoms has an added component even reminding me of the taste of a lemon. Exquisite.
And speaking of thistles, I saw again the tiny larval form of the Thistle Tortoise Beetle, Cassida rubiginosa. The leaves of the thistle are covered with brown desiccated spots, and the tiny larva hides beneath its indelicate pile of dung. I tried to get a photo but can't seem to get it in focus as yet, so here is a link-
Cassida rubiginosa They are endearingly cute so it makes it hard for me to yank out their thistle plant. I can just cut off the flower buds, which I do anyways because those tricky composite flowers can go ahead and develope seeds even when the plant is yanked and lying there on the ground.
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