Common Name:

General Information

Cirsium kamtschaticum is a herbaceous perennial plant growing from a stout rootstock with well-developed rhizomes. It produces a cluster of basal leaves and a well-branched flowering stem; it can grow from 20 - 200cm 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 - Russian Far East (Kamchatka), northern Japan.

Habitat

In sunny grasslands and along forest margins; at elevations from sea level to 2,000 metres[]. Alpine shrub belt, birch forests, coastal meadows, as a component of tall-herb communities[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
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 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 - 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[].
Division in spring or autumn.