Practical
Plants

Cirsium palustre

Marsh Thistle

a biennial member of the Cirsium genus in the family Compositae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Cirsium
Life cycle
biennial
Height
1.5 m
Spread
0.4 m
Fertility
self fertile
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera, Beetles, Self

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves and young shoots - raw or cooked[12][1][8]. Stems - raw or cooked like asparagus or rhubarb[10][11][5][12][2][4]. The flower stalks are peeled and eaten raw or cooked[8].

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Stem

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The seed fluff is used as a tinder[3]. The seed of all species of thistles yields a good oil by expression[10]. No details of potential yields etc are given[K].

Product or use
Oil
Product or use
Tinder

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and west to N. Africa and W. Asia
Habitat
Damp soils in meadows and woodland[11][7].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
high
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow early spring or autumn in situ. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 8 weeks at 20°c[6].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in a sunny position in any ordinary garden soil so long as it is moist[9]. Tolerant of light shade, succeeding in woodlands[7]. A good bee and butterfly plant[7].

References

  1. Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969-00-00 ISBN 0192176218

    ↩

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Coon. N. The Dictionary of Useful Plants. Rodale Press 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-090-x

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  4. Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.

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  5. Loewenfeld. C. and Back. P. Britain's Wild Larder. David and Charles ISBN 0-7153-7971-2

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  6. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00

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  7. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  10. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2

  11. Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5

    ↩1↩2

  12. Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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