Rewilding My Lot

Converting a new developer lot into a nature ecosystem — my journey

Thorns, Spines, And Prickles

Have you, like me, been mistakenly interchanging the words thorn, spine, and prickle to name sharp protrusions on plants? I have now been educated on this topic and so I share this with you!

THORNS are modified branches or stems, and grow from nodes. This example is a Huisache tree that was planted here until I realized that it wasn’t a good choice for me, and it has since been replaced.

SPINES are modified leaves, and cactus are a good example of this. This barrel cactus was photographed at my favorite nursery in Seguin, Green Jay Gardens.

PRICKLES occur in random locations on plants and are not attached to nodes. Roses have prickles, like this plant in a friend’s garden.

Wikipedia has more to say on this topic if you care to dig deeper.

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2 responses to “Thorns, Spines, And Prickles”

  1. Prickly Lettuce – Rewilding My Lot Avatar
    Prickly Lettuce – Rewilding My Lot

    […] Some time ago, I learned the difference between prickles, spines, and thorns. Here’s a reminder. […]

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  2. Prickly Pear Is Growing Well – Rewilding My Lot Avatar
    Prickly Pear Is Growing Well – Rewilding My Lot

    […] By the way, if you are uncertain about the difference between thorns, spines, and prickles (as I was a couple of years ago!), this is the explanation I wrote when I was setting myself straight on that topic. […]

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About Me

Nature Lover.
Inquisitive Observer.
Student Gardener.

I invite you to join me on my journey to convert my sterile (from a nature point of view) new house lot to a healthy and diverse ecosystem, as I make discoveries, mistakes, and hopefully progress. I am not an expert or professional. The project started in February 2023 and the location is Seguin, Texas, USA.

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