Cirsium occidentale

(Nutt.) Jeps.

Cobwebby thistle

AsteraceaeRootsShoots

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What to Eat

Edible parts: Root, Stem

The root is cooked and develops a pleasant flavour after prolonged boiling. It is likely rich in inulin, a starch the human body cannot digest, which passes straight through the digestive system and may ferment in some people, causing flatulence. The stem can be peeled and eaten raw.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. It does best in full sun. It can grow in average soils but they should be well drained.

North America, USA,

Countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Trinidad & Tobago, United States, St Vincent

How to Identify

A herb. It is a thistle which completes its life cycle over 2 years. It is a spiky plant. The leaves form a ring or rosette near the base. It grows 60-150 cm high and spreads 90 cm wide. The flower heads are in clusters and are spiny. There are white woolly bracts around the flower head. The flowers are bright red. The leaves are deeply divided and bear spikes.

How to Grow

Plants are grown from seed. The seed are sown directly. Plants should be 20-30 cm apart. Plants reseed easily.

Propagation: Sow seed in early spring or autumn directly in situ. Germination typically 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. No details on potential yields are available.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Cirsium occidentale, with the common name cobweb thistle or cobwebby thistle, is a North American species of thistle in the family Asteraceae.

Notes

There are about 150-250 Cirsium species. They grow in temperate regions.

References (3)

Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994)
Burnie, G. (Ed.), 2003, Annuals and Bulbs. The Gardener's Handbooks. Fog City Press. p 140
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/