A Weed By Any Other Name...

On our walks it doesn't take a lot to amuse me. I enjoy looking at the unusual weeds along the way, including these. The first one's name stumped me for awhile because it didn't have its usual flower stalk. This odd looking plant has extremely sharp thorns on the leaf tips. It would look great in an outdoor cactus and succulent garden. It is a purple thistle.

The next photo is obvious. I've always loved groups of wild ferns. They have an exotic appearance that reminds me of the tropics.