Centaurea calcitrapa
Linn.
Common star thistle, Star thistle, Caltrops
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What to Eat
Edible parts: Leaves, Shoots
The leaves and young stems can be eaten raw or cooked.
Where to Find It
It is a Mediterranean climate plant. It grows in waste places. It will grow in most soils and conditions. It is resistant to drought and frost. It grows in temperate places. Tasmania Herbarium.
Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Britain*, Chile, Egypt, Europe, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Luxembourg, Mediterranean, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Africa, Portugal, Sicily, South America, Spain, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, Uruguay,
How to Identify
An annual plant although it sometimes takes 2 years to complete its life cycle. It forms a bush and is slightly woolly. It grows about 1 m high. The leaves at the base form a ring and are deeply divided into narrow lobes. The stem is pale coloured. It is branched, and hairy when young. It becomes smooth with age. The stem leaves are much divided and they get smaller towards the top of the plant. The flowers are pinkish-purple. They are surrounded by bracts with yellow spines at the ends. These spines can be 2.5 cm long. The plant can send out runners in sandy soil.
Nutrition Score: 19/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaves | 91 | 106 | 25 | 2.4 | — | — | — | — |
How to Grow
Succeeds in ordinary garden soil. Prefers a well-drained fertile soil and a sunny position. Tolerates dry, low fertility and alkaline soils. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.
Propagation: Sow seed in April in a cold frame. Once seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and plant them out during the summer. With sufficient seed, it can also be sown directly in situ during August or September.
Medicinal Uses
The powdered seeds are taken as a drink to treat kidney or bladder stones. The powdered root is reputed to cure fistula and gravel.
Other Uses
None known.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Centaurea calcitrapa is a species of flowering plant known by several common names, including common star thistle, red star-thistle and purple star thistle. It is native to Europe but is known across the globe as an introduced species and often a noxious weed. The species name calcitrapa comes from the word caltrop, a type of weapon covered in sharp spikes.
Notes
There are about 450 Centaurea species.
Names & Synonyms
Abrepuno colorado, Abriojos, Cardo abriojos, Obriulls, Sciaccablisci
References (19)
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