Cirsium occidentale is a very variable species, generally considered to comprise seven varieties[].

Common Name: Cobwebby Thistle

General Information

Cirsium occidentale is a prickly, biennial plant growing from a taproot; it produces a basal rosette of leaves and a single flowering stem that can range from 5 - 400cm 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

South-western N. America - Oregon, California, Nevada, northwest Mexico

Habitat

Coastal scrub, dunes, pine-oak woodlands, riparian woodlands, arid woodlands, chaparral, openings in mixed evergreen forests, roadsides; at elevations from near sea level to 2,300 metres[]

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Biennial
Height	1.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera, Beetles, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Some forms of Cirsium occidentale are not very frost-hardy and are unlikely to succeed outside the milder areas of the temperate zone[].
Cirsium species are generally easily grown plants, succeeding in any ordinary garden soil in a sunny position[].
A polymorphic species, a number of varieties are recognised[].
Heads of var. candidissimum are actively visited by hummingbirds as well as a variety of insects[]

Edible Uses

Root - cooked[, , ]. A pleasant taste after prolonged boiling[]. 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[].

Stem - peeled and eaten raw[].

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.