Oligophyllum Thistle (Cirsium oligophyllum)

Family: Asteraceae or Compositae | Edibility: Edible (2/5)

Cirsium oligophyllum is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). It is in flower from August to October, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Leaves, Roots/Tubers, Flowers

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Spring, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

rich in inulin, a starch that cannot be digested by humans. — Young leaves - cooked.; Added to soups or fried.; The roots are slender with scarcely developed rhizomes.; They are scraped into pieces, steeped in water and preserved in miso.

Habitat & North American Range

In sunny grasslands and along temperate forest margins at elevations of 20 - 1200 metres. (Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8)