It certainly looks like a thistle of some kind to me, but I’m not entirely sure which type. I think it looks most like “Cirsium Vulgare” (also known as spear thistle, bull thistle, Scots, Scottish, or Scotch thistle, and common thistle. Another possible candidate is “Carduus nutans” (also known as Bristle Thistle, Musk Thistle, Nodding Thistle, Nodding Plumeless Thistle).

While out walking today I noticed that all of the plants I’ve posted pictures of have now disappeared. It seems that someone (I imagine our town) has cut the undergrowth back about 3-4 feet from the road. Since all the pictures I took were “By the roadside..” all of the plants have now gone. Still, most of them are considered as weeds or invasive species and they all come back anyway – the cutting only takes off the tops.