What was the actual thorn plant that was used in Christ's crown of thorns?

Answer 1

"The gundelia is a spiny, thistle-like flowering plant of the genus Gundelia L. in the sunflower family (Asteraceae)."

"A member of this genus, tumbleweed G. tournefortii came under the spotlights in 1998, when its pollen grains were found in abundance on the Shroud of Turin. This fact served a claim in establishing the provenance of the shroud. It has been suggested that this spiny plant may be the "crown of thorns", symbol of humiliation of Jesus. More likely it was Christ's thorn jujube (Zizyphus spina-christi)."

"Gundelia" : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gundelia_tournefortii

"With regard to the origin and character of the thorns, both tradition and existing remains suggest that they must have come from the bush botanically known as Zizyphus spina Christi, more popularly, the jujube tree. This reaches the height of fifteen or twenty feet and is found growing in abundance by the wayside around Jerusalem. The crooked branches of this shrub are armed with thorns growing in pairs, a straight spine and a curved one commonly occurring together at each point."

Catholic Encyclopedia (1907-1914), quoted in "Crown of Thorns" : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_of_thorns#Byzantium

"Crown of Thorns", Catholic Encyclopedia, 1914 : http://www.catholicity.com/encyclopedia/t/thorns,crown_of.html

"Many jujube trees can still be seen in the central and southern regions of Israel, especially in the Arava Valley, where it is the second most common tree. A jujube tree near Ein Hatzeva in the Arava is estimated to be over 300 years old."

"Jujube" : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jujube

Answer 2

No one can state for a fact which plant was used, so I would look through the previous answers and compile a list for yourself of possible plants and their supporting evidence. I'll add another plant that I know for sure has been scientifically tied to the Shroud. Gundelia tournefortii (Asteraceae) is a thorny shrub that grows in the area. "According to Dr. Avinoam Dannin, Professor of Botany at the Hebrew University of Israel (1988), pollen grains of this species have been identified from the Shroud of Turin. The density of pollen grains is much higher than random samples from the air, suggesting that blooming plants of Gundelia tournefortii were placed on the Shroud during its flowering period of February to May. Some biblical scholars have also suggested that this spiny plant may have been the actual "crown of thorns" worn by Jesus."

Answer 3

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia,

"With regard to the origin and character of the thorns, both tradition and existing remains suggest that they must have come from the bush botanically known as Zizyphus spina Christi, more popularly, the jujube-tree. This reaches the height of fifteen or twenty feet and is found growing in abundance by the wayside around Jerusalem. The crooked branches of this shrub are armed with thorns growing in pairs, a straight spine and a curved one commonly occurring together at each point. The relic preserved in the Capella della Spina at Pisa, as well as that at Trier, which though their early history is doubtful and obscure, are among the largest in size, afford a good illustration of this peculiarity."

Answer 4

Jesus Thorn Plant

Answer 5

It is generally believed to have been Paliurus spina-christi, commonly known as "Jerusalem thorn".

The houseplant presently called "Crown of Thorns" (Euphorbia milii) was actually unknown in Christ's time.

Answer 6

I believe it was the thistles of of the lotus tree

Answer 7

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070521074207AAkhion

Answer 8

thisle i think, but im religious scholar

Answer 9

hort