Cirsium spicatum — Edible Plant Database

What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves, Root, Stems

The root is edible cooked. It is stout with well-developed rhizomes, though one report notes it may be deleterious without giving further explanation. The root is likely to be rich in inulin, a starch that cannot be digested by humans; this starch passes straight through the digestive system and, in some people, ferments to produce flatulence. Young plants are also edible cooked and are described as sweet and palatable.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant.

Asia, China, Japan, Manchuria,

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 tall perennial thistle reaching 1.8 m with hermaphroditic flowers blooming September to October and seeds ripening through October. Bees, flies, moths, butterflies, and beetles pollinate this self-fertile species. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils across mildly acidic to basic pH. Requires full sun and moist soil conditions.

How to Grow

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

Medicinal Uses

Astringent, diuretic, and emmenagogue.

Other Uses

The seed, as with all thistle species, yields a good oil by expression. No details of potential yields are given.

Wikipedia

A tall perennial thistle reaching 1.8 m with hermaphroditic flowers blooming September to October and seeds ripening through October. Bees, flies, moths, butterflies, and beetles pollinate this self-fertile species. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils across mildly acidic to basic pH. Requires full sun and moist soil conditions.