Cirsium chinense

Gard. & Champ.

AsteraceaeRoots

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(c) zcguoxia, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Root

The root is edible cooked and is likely rich in inulin, a starch indigestible to humans that passes straight through the digestive system and may ferment in some people, causing flatulence. Young leaves are also edible cooked. Seed oil can be extracted by expression.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. It grows in grasslands on mountain slopes between 100-1,600 m above sea level.

Asia, China, Myanmar, SE Asia,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A herb. It is a thistle. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows between 40-100 cm tall. The stems are erect and branched in the upper section. The lower leaves are narrowly oval and divided. They are 5-7 cm long by 1-4 cm wide.

How to Grow

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. An easily grown plant, succeeding in any ordinary garden soil in a sunny position.

Propagation: Sow seed in early spring or autumn in situ. Germination usually occurs within 2–8 weeks at 20°C. Can also be propagated by division in spring or autumn.

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Other Uses

The seeds of all thistle species yield a useful oil by expression, though no details on potential yields are given.

Wikipedia

A compact perennial thistle reaching 0.8 meters, flowering June to October with seeds maturing July to October. Hermaphrodite, self-fertile flowers attract bees, flies, moths, butterflies, and beetles. Thrives in full sun with sandy, loamy, or clay soils; tolerates mildly acidic to mildly alkaline pH and prefers moist conditions.