Herb latin name: Cirsium pendulum


Family: Compositae



Edible parts of Cirsium pendulum:

Root - cooked. The root is only slightly thickened. It is likely to be rich in inulin, a starch that cannot be digested by humans. This starch thus passes straight through the digestive system and, in some people, ferments to produce flatulence. Leaves and young plant - cooked.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Biennial


Height:
180 cm
(6 feet)

Flowering:
June to
September

Habitat of the herb:

Grassland in mountain valleys and mountain slopes, forests, forest margins, streamsides, near villages and in rock crevices at levations of 300 - 2300 metres.

Other uses of Cirsium pendulum:

The seed of all species of thistles yields a good oil by expression. No details of potential yields etc are given.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow early spring or autumn in situ. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 8 weeks at 20°C.

Cultivation of Cirsium pendulum:

Grassland in mountain valleys and mountain slopes, forests, forest margins, streamsides, near villages and in rock crevices at levations of 300 - 2300 metres.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Cirsium pendulum:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.