Common Name: Tsukushi-Azami

General Information

Cirsium suffultum is a prickly, herbaceous perennial plant growing from a slender rootstock; it produces a basal cluster of leaves and a well-branched flowering stem that can grow around 50 - 100cm 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 - southern Japan (Shikoku, Kyushu)

Habitat

In sunny grasslands of the temperate zones; at elevations from 600 - 1,700 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
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[].

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.