Whatever the truth behind the legend is, the thistle became the official emblem of Scotland during the reign of Alexander III in the 13th century. It was first used on silver coins in 1470, during the reign of James II and was incorporated into the country's coat of arms in the 16th century.
The Order of the Thistle is a Scottish chivalric order that was founded by King James V in 1540. It consisted of the king and 12 of his knights. It was meant to draw parallels between Jesus and his 12 apostles. It also reminds one of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. The Order of the Thistle's motto is "nemo me impune lacessit" which means "no one harms me without punishment."
The thistle appears on every type of souvenir and item that you can name. You can find t-shirts, bumper stickers, and jewelry with the Scottish thistle on it. One piece of jewelry featuring the thistle, if it can be considered jewelry, is the Skean Dhu. This is the decorative knife that is worn in men's stockings.
The thistle is a strong and invasive plant. Many consider it to be a weed. It's a worthy symbol for a people who have spread their culture around the world and have consistently shown that they are a strong and hardy people.
