Are you sure you are talking about canada thistle? The plants may be tall and bushy, but the flowerheads are not. Now, the biennial thistles like Musk or Bull or Scotch thistle are another matter. They are *huge* and pressing is a real chore unless you cut them in half or slice in sections.

As for adding the link....copy and past the actual link from the top of the web page in your browser, either as text here like this:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/dried/
or in the box below (as I have done) titled "optional Link URL". Then type something into the box titled "name of Link", such as Dried flower forum at GW....You don't see the actual address of the link-just your text.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dried flower forum at GW

Is this what you are looking at??

Here is a link that might be useful: Canada thistle

Or something more like this?

Here is a link that might be useful: Musk thistle

Hello Rosa!

Thank you for your "posts" in regards to my query on the "Canada Thistle." I've been doing some research on this particular Thistle in our area, & it is definately prominent through-out our area as a "noxious" weed. I also looked into your species names for the biennial Thistles, such as the "Musk, Bull, & Scotch." The Thistle I am referring to, may very well be a "Bull or a Scotch," Rosa, because we have those also. I guess I will have to go out walking & hiking and do a closer analysis of this particular "thistle" I am wondering about here, in order to actually see just what I am dealing with. I want to get some pictures of it too.

I will further, have to experiment around with trying to perhaps "dry & press" one of these, & see what happens! It should be an interesting "try" to say the very least.

Thank you also Rosa for your help & suggestions with how to "link" with the pages & all... as of yet, I have to try this, & hope I don't goof something up! (smile!) I printed off your instructions, just so I can give it a whirl, as I know it can't be that difficult. Also, thank you for the information & your Web Page links,... I went into all of them & browsed around & did some reading. Thanks for posting to me Rosa & also for your help!

Perhaps later, I can post more on the Thistles, once I go out into Nature, & do some more investigating~

Happy Spring time to you!
~ IndianPaintBrush ~

And a Happy Springtime to you too, IndianPaintBrush!!
Yes, in many places in the western states, Musk, Scotch, and Canada thistle (along with some other thistles) are indeed noxious weeds.
There are some native thistles that are the bennial types with big heads too.
We have lots of noxious weeds here too-that's part of my job-killing them, lol!!

Oh but that Musk Thistle is beautiful...speaking not as a farmer or rancher, of course. I've often admired the thistles locally. Indian Paint Brush, I think I'd take along some barbecue tongs to handle them ...maybe cut most in bud stage and dry a few as buds, and stand some in water to catch them just at the right moment opening.

I'm not sure how they would be pressed. Have you considered drying in silica gel or sand, or probably for these plants they might dry easily just airdried standing in a vase with no water. I think they'd be smashing just with a few dried grasses.

By the way, I think when you talked about wildflowers, I got carried away with giving you advice on herbariums...I thought later that probably you might have been thinking more of decorative uses. Whichever... the nice thing is that you can take what you can use and ignore the rest~~smile. josh

And here's a test forum to practice your links on. I used it recently to test when I typed something in large print and wasn't sure it would "translate" properly to standard print here. A couple of friendly computer users chimed in to confirm that what I was seeing on my MSNtv was the same as they saw on their computer (not always the case~~smile). josh

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardenweb Test Forum

Thanks everybody for the help & suggestions on this Post! I still have much to learn ahead of me, and all the info is greatly appreciated!
~IndianPaintBrush~

rosa, great tip on cutting in half/slicing in sections! i never would have thought of that!