Cirsium arvense - Creeping Thistle

Family:	Compositae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.9
Width:	1
Synonyms:	Carduus arvensis. Serratula arvensis.
Range:	Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to N. Africa and Asia.

Cirsium arvense (Creeping Thistle) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.9m and a width of 1m . It has a fast growth rate. It has a hardness rating of 4and is vunerable to frost.
Creeping Thistle will flower in January to March. the seeds ripen from February to April
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Bees, flies, lepidoptera, beetles, self

Soil Information

Creeping Thistle will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Creeping Thistle prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Creeping Thistle should not be planted in shady areas.

Arable land, roadsides etc[9, 13], a common weed of cultivated land[17].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Can be planted in Cultivated Beds
• Suits a meadow

Cultivation Details

The creeping thistle is a pernicious garden weed, spreading freely from its aggressive root system[17, K], It can quickly form dense clumps of growth and really does not need to be introduced into the garden. Succeeds in any ordinary garden soil in a sunny position[200]. Plants are often dioecious[17]. A polymorphic species[17].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 2/5
Root of first year plants - raw or cooked[183]. Nutritious but rather bland, they are best used in a mixture with other vegetables[9]. The root 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[K]. Stems - they are peeled and cooked like asparagus or rhubarb[9, 12, 177, 183]. Leaves - raw or cooked[177, 183]. A fairly bland flavour, but the prickles need to be removed before the leaves can be eaten - not only is this rather fiddly but very little edible leaf remains[K]. The leaves are also used to coagulate plant milks etc[46, 61, 183].

• Curdling agent - used to curdle soya milk in making cheese.
• Leaves -
• Root - includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
• Stem - this often intergrades into leaves.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 2/5
The root is tonic, diuretic, astringent, antiphlogistic and hepatic[207]. It has been chewed as a remedy for toothache[4]. A decoction of the roots has been used to treat worms in children[257]. A paste of the roots, combined with an equal quantity of the root paste of Amaranthus spinosus, is used in the treatment of indigestion[272]. The plant contains a volatile alkaloid and a glycoside called cnicin, which has emetic and emmenagogue properties[240]. The leaves are antiphlogistic[207]. They cause inflammation and have irritating properties[207[.

• Antiphlogistic - Reduces inflammation.
• Astringent - Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• Diuretic - Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
• Emetic - Induces vomiting.
• Emmenagogue - Promotes or increases the menstrual flow. In early stages of pregnancy it can induce an abortion.
• Hepatic - Acts on the liver (for better or worse!).
• Tonic - Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring or autumn in situ. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 8 weeks at 20°c. A pernicious weed, not many people would want to invite this plant into their garden.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

The seed fluff is used as a tinder[106]. The seed of all species of thistles yields a good oil by expression[4]. The seed of this species contains about 22% oil[240].

• Oil - Vegetable oils have many uses, as lubricants, lighting, soap and paint making, waterproofing etc. This does not include the edible oils unless they are also mentioned as having other uses.
• Tinder - Used for starting fires. See also Kindling.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora of the British Isles.
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Author: Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Rating:
Publisher : A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
Date of Publication : 1962

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