Ever felt lost and did not know which direction to take?

Question

Look for the regal Thistle flower.

Now don't get all prickly about this question, just wait a bit to find out why the thistle.

during an early morning walk with my dog I noticed the flowers of the thistle pointing East. They were the same during the day.

Find the thistle and you will know the compas points.

If it is night use your torch or just 'phone a friend.

Has anyone else noticed some plants have directional signing\/

Answer 1

Plants grow toward the direction of the sunlight. You'll notice that this doesn't happen on cloudy or rainy days. Go with the first instincts that come to your mind.

Answer 2

Yes, I see compass plants all the time!  They aline their leaves to the north and south during the day so they can avoid heat-stress from direct sunlight.  Many flowers will also track the sun (phototropism).

Answer 3

A useful tip I got from Viz magazine. If you just keep heading west you will eventually get back to where you started. You might need to take a packed lunch and allow yourself plenty of time. ;-)))