The Bible uses 22 different Hebrew and Greek words to describe spiny or prickly shrubs or weeds. These words are translated as "bramble," "brier," "cockle," "thorn," and "thistle." Today, about 125 species of thorns and thistles grow in the Holy Land.
The thornbush mentioned in the story of Judges 9:14–15 is likely the European boxthorn or desert-thorn (Lycium europaeum).
Most scholars agree that the "briers" and "thorns" in Isaiah 10:17, 55:13, Micah 7:4, and Hebrews 6:8 refer to the Palestine nightshade (Solanum incanum), also called the "Jericho potato."
The thistles in Genesis 3:17–18, 2 Kings 14:9, 2 Chronicles 25:18, Hosea 10:8, and Matthew 7:16, as well as the thorns of Matthew 13:7 and Hebrews 6:8, are thought to be one of the species of the thistle (Centaurea). Common thistles in the Holy Land include:
the true star-thistle (Centaurea calcitrapa),
the dwarf centaury (Centaurea verutum),
the Iberian centaury (Centaurea iberica), and
the lady's thistle (Silybum marianum).
Some thistles can grow as tall as 0.9 to 1.8 meters (5 to 6 feet). Thistles typically grow in areas that are not cultivated and are neglected. Many thistles have beautiful flowers, but all have sharp spines.
The "briers" in Ezekiel 2:6 and the "pricking brier" in Ezekiel 28:24 may refer to the prickly butchers-broom or knee-holly (Ruscus aculeatus). This plant commonly grows in rocky woods in the northern parts of the Holy Land, especially around Mount Tabor and Mount Carmel.
The stinkweed mentioned in Job 31:40 probably refers to the corn cockle (Agrostemma githago). This plant is common in grainfields throughout the Holy Land. It is a strong-growing and troublesome weed that grows from 0.3 to 0.9 meter (1 to 3 feet) tall.
Many Bible scholars think that the "thorns" used to make the crown of thorns (Matthew 27:29; John 19:2) came from the Christ-thorn (Paliurus spina-christi). This belief led to its scientific name. The Christ-thorn is a spiny plant that usually grows as a spreading shrub 0.9 to 2.7 meters (3 to 9 feet) tall. The flexible branches have a pair of unequal, stiff, sharp spines at the base of each leaf. The young branches are unusually flexible, making them easy to weave into a crown-like wreath.
The thorns mentioned in Judges 8:7, Isaiah 7:19, 9:18, 55:13, and Matthew 7:16 may refer to the Syrian Christ-thorn (Zizyphus spina-christi). This plant can be a shrub or small tree 2.7 to 4.6 meters (9 to 15 feet) tall, sometimes growing into a 12.2-meter (40-foot) tree. It has smooth white branches with a pair of strong, unequal, curved-back spines behind each leaf.