Blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus)
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Annual
- Exposure
- Full sun
Cultivation
Easily grown in ordinary garden soil. A very ornamental plant, it is often cultivated in Europe as a medicinal herb and for its oil yielding seed.
Propagation
Seed - sow in situ in the spring or early autumn.
Edible uses
Young leaves - raw. Flower heads, harvested before the flowers open, have been used as a globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus) substitute. The flower heads are rather small and using them in this way is very fiddly[K]. Root - boiled as a pot herb. The herb is used as a flavouring (the part that is used is not specified).
Medicinal uses
The blessed thistle was widely cultivated in the middle ages, when it was seen as a cure-all for all manner of diseases including the plague. The whole plant is astringent, bitter, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, strongly emetic in large doses, emmenagogue, galactogogue, stimulant, stomachic and tonic. The whole plant was infused overnight in cold water and the liquid drunk three times daily in the treatment of VD. Men were required to run after each dose in order to encourage sweating. The treatment often caused nausea and vomiting. The plant is used externally in the treatment of wounds and ulcers. The plant is harvested in the summer as it comes into flower and is dried for later use. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant.
Material uses
A good quality oil is obtained from the seed.
Habitat
Dry sunny places in arable, stony and waste ground.
Native range
S. Europe to W. Asia. An infrequent casual in Britain.