Looking down into the vacant lot from the roof of the relative we were visiting in Neuruppin, we were all amazed to spot a breathtakingly enormous thistle plant towering in one corner. After doing some research, we decided it could be a Scotch thistle.
The lot belongs to the local branch of the Sparkasse bank. It is currently surrounded by a ‘community construction fence’ decorated with paintings by local people, but is slated to be built on soon.
But what will become of this impressive inhabitant of the empty lot, who drawfed us all with its spires of spiky leaves?
It will surely be even more impressive when it blooms with the purple blossoms common to thistles. We will be in touch with our relative to follow the story of this plant.
urban plant research 
According to my rough estimate this thistle is 286cm tall. That is 4cm shorter than the Guiness World Record: http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-3000/tallest-thistle/
If it has grown just a little by now, or my estimate is a little off, the story will truly make it to the Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung!!! And urbanplantresearch will make it to the Guiness Book of Records.
We should send someone over from the local newspaper.
Spiky greetings,
Marko
Oh, you better call the newspaper then! I heard that you are good at getting into the local paper with your natural history discoveries?
Reblogged this on Travels with Mary and commented:
Geez, now that is one big thistle… I am glad that I don’t have to weed that garden. Thank you for the great pics and write-up
Thanks a lot for your re-blog, Mary! Unfortunately, shortly after this was published, my relative saw workmen appear and measure, then remove the thistle described. Maybe the owner of the land, which is about to be redeveloped, didn’t want any Guinness Book hoopla to interfere with their building plans. Sad!