Identify this plant with only a vague description

[Leah2005]

Can you think of the name of the plant mum and I were discussing today? It's tall stems - probs 4-5 feet, very spiky and we think it has a medicinal use. Possibly darkish purple in colour. Mum said echinacea (sp?) but it absolutely isn't that - now we have that name in our heads and we can't remember the name of the plant we do want. Do you want to give me your guesses? 😂

When you say spiky, do you mean it has spines or that the tall stems and shape of the flowers look like spikes?

Cardoon or Globe Artichoke?

Acanthus?

If the latter, maybe viper's bugloss?

Cordyline? Foxglove (digitalis)?

Not sure about medicinal qualities, but tall and purple could be Verbena bonariensis

@CatherinedeBourgh it is kind of long leafy plumes with spikes in them.

@SpongeBoobBigPants yahooooo you got it. 😀
Well done team!

😀

Teasle came to my mind

Uurrgggh, also known as Bear's Breeches, I hate that ugly plant! I've tried to get rid of it but it keeps coming back!

Turns out we were discussing two different plants. Mum was talking about echium which doesn't have spikes at all.

Aconitum would fit the description and the medicinal use. Aka monkshood or wolfbane