Thistles in Winnie the Pooh's 100 Acre Wood: Fact vs. Fiction

Have you ever wondered how thistles can grow in Winnie the Pooh's 100 Acre Wood when they are native to Scotland, and the 100 Acre Wood is based on Ashdown Forest in England? Let's explore the facts and fiction behind this curious plant.

The Fictional vs. Reality

"Ah Jamie!! Yoursquo;ve probably seen a yellow rose occasionally. Thatrsquo;s the state flower of Texas. How can you have seen one if you donrsquo;t live in Texas?

I believe that itrsquo;s actually possible to see a white rose growing in Lancashire occasionally too! (How can you see a rose if you are not in Lancashire).

Irsquo;m afraid that plants donrsquo;t adhere to the borders imposed by humans-they become illegal immigrants!

There are lots of thistles in Ashdown Forest.

The Truth Behind the Thistles

Well... it is a work of fiction.

Hate to tell you this but... thistles might be native to Scotland, however, they are not exclusively growing only there! I've seen thistles growing wild along the river close to my home - and I'm miles away from the Scottish border.

Obviously when A.A. Milne wrote the Winnie the Pooh stories, there were thistles growing in the area where the author was living at the time which served as inspiration.

The Distribution of Thistles in the UK

Thistles grow all over the UK. I should know; I've managed to sit on most of the wretched things in my time. Thistles just happen to be the national flower of Scotland. Daffodils are the national flower of Wales, but they still grow in other places. Next...

There are hundreds of species of thistle, and they are native to many countries around the world. It's incorrect to say that thistles are native to Scotland; some species are, but many are not. Thistles grow in Ashdown Forest just as they do all over the UK.

The thistle is the national emblem of Scotland, but it's not even certain which species of thistle the stylised picture refers to. The cotton thistle is most often thought to be the original of the picture, but that species isn't native to Scotland.

Thistles Beyond Scotland and Wales

Thistles grow everywhere they are just the National flower of Scotland. Daffodils are the National flower of Wales, the Tudor rose is the symbol of England, and the shamrock is the symbol of Northern Ireland.

So, the next time you visit the 100 Acre Wood or any other part of the UK, keep an eye out for these resilient plants. They may not always be where you expect them to be, but they certainly add a splash of nature to these magical lands!