Thistle-icious!

One late summer’s day, I was walking up Pāpāmoa Hills and was nearing the summit.

The light breeze brushed past my face and perspiration cooled against my skin. I could hear birds chirping in the Karaka tree above me, followed by the sound of its nuts crunching under my feet. It was the most perfect day.

I took in a deep breath and the fragrant warm summer air filled my lungs. I could smell a hint of something beautiful. I took another deep breath. What is that alluring fragrance, I quickly wondered? It reminded me of an expensive perfume, but I couldn’t quite decide what the fragrance was.

I took in yet another deep breath and closed my eyes. What is it? It started to sing to me a lyrical yet sultry tune softly carried away by the breeze. Wow, was I being seduced by this sweet fragrance?

The breeze had picked up as I approached the summit and just then, the fragrance sidled up to me, whispering into my ear, “Here I am. You have found me!”

I looked around and the only flowers up on the summit were thistles. For something so pesky and prickly, it couldn’t be the thistles!

I stopped and knelt before a large purple flower that was nodding in the wind. It can’t be, I bent down until my nose was almost touching the pinky/purple floret and I took the biggest breath.

An intoxicating sweet and musky fragrance filled my lungs and I wanted to fall into that flower face first, prickles and all.

I have smelt nothing more sensual in my life, I thought. I stepped back and watched as the prickly plant swayed teasingly in the breeze. Wow, did I have you wrong!

I found myself thinking about this flower for hours afterwards and later that night I looked up the flower to see if anyone else had noticed its heady perfume. Turns out this plant is also known as Musk Thistle, for its sweet musk fragrance. My nose got it right.

Well, I certainly wish I could bottle that!

It’s known an exotic weed that was introduced into New Zealand in the 1800’s and now the bane of many a farmer. And yet, they produce the most beautiful fragrance! No wonder the honey bees love them.

January 2025
Krisdjansen