Cirsium edule - Edible Thistle

Family:	Compositae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	2
Synonyms:
Range:	Western N. America - southwards from Canada.

Cirsium edule (Edible Thistle) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 2m . It has a hardness rating of 7.
Edible Thistle will flower in January to February. the seeds ripen from February to March
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

Edible 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
Edible Thistle prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Edible Thistle should not be planted in shady areas.

Wet meadows and open woods in mountains[60].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Works within dappled Shade
• Grows in a shady edge
• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

An easily grown plant, succeeding in any ordinary garden soil in a sunny position[200]. A monocarpic species, it grows for a number of years without flowering but then dies after flowering[60].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 3/5
Root - cooked[95, 105, 161, 257]. 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]. Young stems - peeled and eaten raw[46, 61, 95, 105]. Soft and sweet[161], they are considered to be a luxury food[257]. Young shoots - raw or cooked as greens[257]. Harvested in spring[257].

• Root - includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
• Stem - this often intergrades into leaves.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 0/5
None known

Propagation

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

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

The seed of all species of thistles yields a good oil by expression[4]. No details of potential yields etc are given[K].

• 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.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest.
Hitchcock. C. L.
Author: Hitchcock. C. L.
Rating:
Publisher : A standard flora for Western N. America with lots of information on habitat etc. Five large volumes, it is not for the casual reader.
Date of Publication : 1955

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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