Carduus nutans subsp. macrocephalus
(Desf.) Nyman
(c) Veronika A. Johansson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Veronika A. Johansson
(c) druzhinka, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
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What to Eat
The leaf stalks are boiled and dressed in olive oil and lemon, or stir fried and scrambled with eggs and cheese.
Where to Find It
It is a Mediterranean climate plant.
Europe, Italy, Mediterranean,
How to Identify
A thistle in the Asteraceae family found in Mediterranean climates. The leaf stalks are edible and commonly prepared.
Medicinal Uses
Herbal decoctions have historically included Carduus nutans. Turkish folk medicine has used parts of the flowering branches to treat prostate disease. It has also been documented that it has been used for treatment of liver disease, malaria, constipation, and kidney stones.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Carduus nutans is a biennial plant in the daisy and sunflower family Asteraceae with the common names musk thistle, nodding thistle, and nodding plumeless thistle. It is native to regions of Europe, Central Asia, and North Africa, where it is a scattered pasture plant. The musk thistle has been declared as invasive in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Names & Synonyms
References (1)
- Biscotti, N. et al, 2018, The traditional food use of wild vegetables in Apulia (Italy) in the light of Italian ethnobotanical literature. Italian Botanist 5:1-24 (As Carduus nutans subsp. scabrisquamus)
