Don't let the name fool you — this is one of the most ecologically valuable plants you can put in a wet garden. Unlike the aggressive non-native thistles that give thistles a bad reputation, Swamp Thistle is a well-behaved native biennial with deeply lobed, nearly spineless leaves and stunning rose-purple pincushion flowers that bloom for six weeks or more. A high-value nectar plant that draws an extraordinary diversity of native bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and beneficial insects. Blooms when relatively few other plants do — making it invaluable for late-season pollinators