Former Hucknall woman's world record breaking thistle

A former Hucknall woman is thrilled to have made it into the Guinness Book of Records for growing the tallest teasel thistle in the world.
World thistle growing record holder Alma Turner at her home in Oxcliff . pic Richard Ponter 160501World thistle growing record holder Alma Turner at her home in Oxcliff . pic Richard Ponter 160501
World thistle growing record holder Alma Turner at her home in Oxcliff . pic Richard Ponter 160501

Alma Joan Turner, of Oxcliff, Scarborough, said she was “over the moon” with the accolade and was delighted to receive her certificate.

The story of Alma’s giant 9ft thistle grew in her garden in July and since then towering teasel has attracted attention from far and wide.

Alma, 74 has been contacted by national newspapers and has also been interviewed on the radio.

She said: “It’s been great - I’m thrilled about it. We contacted the Guinness Book of Records and someone came to verify it.

“It meant they had to add a whole new category as nobody had entered one of these types of thistle before.”

Its Latin name is Dipsacus fullonum.

Alma added that it took six months for her certificate to come through, which is now proudly on display at home.

The thistle has now gone into winter mode, according to Alma, but when it is in full bloom in spring and summer the colour changes from green to purple.

Alma said: “It’s a super plant. I didn’t know what it was at first and how it got there.

“I thought it might have been a sunflower.

“I think birds must have fetched it and dropped the seeds.”

The giant thistle has a prickly stem, but Alma said the flowers are beautiful and do not have any prickly bits inside. In fact she is so taken with the plant that she has cut off stems to display in her home and has also taken cuttings to try and grow some new plants in the garden.