Carduus nutans 'Musk Thistle'

[Ex. Co. Durham 15m., England]

Asteraceae: an upright, elegant biennial to 1m. The stems are cottony, mainly with spiny wings, although stalks below the flowers are spine free. Grows on dry grass, including verges and dunes. The scented flowers are 3-5cm across, with reddish-purple florets and purplish spiny bracts, heads are solitary and nodding, flowering from June-August. The leaves are pinnately lobed and very spiny. Locally common only in England and wales, but scarce or absent elsewhere. Native to most of Europe, including Britain, north to Norway, south and east to North Africa, Siberia and Western Asia.

USES:

The pith of stem can be boiled, this is said to have a pleasant taste, eaten like asparagus. Said to be delicious. The dried flowers are used as a curdling agent for plant milks.

The flowers are febrifuge and are used to purify the blood. The seeds contain a fixed oil that is rich in linoleic acid. This has proved of benefit in the prevention of atherosclerosis.

GROWING INFORMATION:

Can be sown from late summer to autumn or spring. Easy. Well-drained, sunny site.

HARVESTED:

 
APPROX. 45 SEEDS