Common Name:

General Information

Cirsium pendulum is a biennial plant with a slender taproot; it produces a basal cluster of leaves and an erect, well-branched flowering stem around 100 - 300cm tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - Mongolia, southern Siberia, Russian Far East, China, Japan, Korea.

Habitat

Grassland in mountain valleys and mountain slopes, forests, forest margins, streamsides, near villages and in rock crevices; at elevations from 300 - 2,300 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Biennial
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera, Beetles, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Cirsium species are generally easily grown plants, succeeding in any ordinary garden soil in a sunny position[].

Edible Uses

Root - cooked[, ]. The root is only slightly thickened[]. It 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[].

Leaves and young plant - cooked[, ].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The seed of all species of thistles yields a good oil by expression[]. No details of potential yields etc are given[].

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring or autumn in situ. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 8 weeks at 20°c[].