Common Name: Wavy-Leaved Thistle

General Information

Cirsium undulatum is a prickly, perennial plant producing one to several, erect or ascending, sparsely branched stems that can grow around 20 - 230cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.
This species has deeply seated running roots that produce adventitious buds and thus is capable of producing large colonies of growth. It is listed in California as a noxious weed[]. However, most reports of Cirsium undulatum in California are based upon misidentifications of Cirsium canescens[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Western and central N. America - British Columbia to Manitoba, south to California, northern Mexico and TexasTexas.

Habitat

Mixedgrass prairie, shortgrass prairie, Palouse prairie, sagebrush deserts, pinyon-juniper woodlands, openings in montane coniferous forests, often in disturbed areas; at elevations from 100 - 2,800 metres[]

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.60 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[].
Cirsium undulatum is known to hybridize in the wild with Cirsium flodmanii, Cirsium hookerianum, and Cirsium scariosum var. coloradense[].

Edible Uses

Root - raw or cooked[, , , , ]. One of the more palatable thistles, it is used as a vegetable or can be added to soups and stews[, ]. It can be dried and stored for winter use[]. 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[].

Stems - peeled and eaten raw or cooked[, , ]. One of the more palatable thistles[].

Medicinal

A decoction of the root has been used in the treatment of gonorrhoea[].
A cold infusion of the root has been used as a wash for eye diseases[].

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[].