Prickly Portrait.- looks best in large version.

Our school emblem is a thistle, and it is traditional, symmetrical and Scottish Blue on white, which seems rather odd when you live in New Zealand and you struggle to see them anywhere. Not really a local symbol. I was surprised and thrilled to see one today that was growing in the wild (rather than the ones sewn on the white school sports socks). It does make you wonder what it is about thistles that they could be used to represent a school and its heritage. Seem rather unfriendly and threatening sort of a flower. Maybe one of you real Scottish people could explain? Also wondering if they come in blue?