Cirsium acaulon
Stemless Thistle
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Compositae
- Genus
- Cirsium
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 0.3 m
- Fertility
- self fertile
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera, Beetles, Self
Uses
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
At one time the root used to be chewed as a remedy for toothache[3].
- Product or use
- Odontalgic
Material uses
The seed of all species of thistles yields a good oil by expression[3]. No details of potential yields etc are given[K].
Environment
- Range
- Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia to Spain and east to W. Asia.
- Habitat
- Closely grazed pastures, especially on chalk or limestone[1].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 4+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
Seed - sow early spring or autumn in situ. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 8 weeks at 20°c.
Cultivation
An easily grown plant, succeeding in any ordinary garden soil in a sunny position[2]. This plant is very injurious in grassland, killing all plants that grow below it[3].
References
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9