Cirsium brevistylum
| Cirsium brevistylum | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 6' |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Cirsium brevistylum (common name: indian thistle)
Propagation: Seed - sow early spring or autumn in situ. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 8 weeks at 20°c.
Cultivation: 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 plant is a short-lived perennial, and is often biennial[1][2]. 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[3].
Range: Western N. America.
Habitat: Brushy and wooded slopes, in mixed evergreen forests and in coastal scrub in California[1].
Edibility: Root - peeled and eaten raw or cooked[4][2][5]. One of the more palatable thistle roots[6]. The thick, carrot-like taproot is likely to be rich in inulin, a starch that cannot be digested by humans. This starch thus passes straight through the digestive system and, in some people, ferments to produce flatulence[K].
Stem - peeled[6]. One of the more palatable thistles[6].
The flowerheads have been chewed to obtain the nectar[5].
Usage: The seed of all species of thistles yields a good oil by expression[7]. No details of potential yields etc are given[K].
The seed floss has been spun with yellow cedar (Chamaecyparis notkatensis) inner bark to make clothing for babies[5].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Munz, David. A California Flora. University of California Press, 1959.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Turner, Nancy. Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples. UBC Press Vancouver, 1995.
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Davis, Ray and Frank Craighead. A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers. The Riverside Press, 1963.
- ↑ Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.