Blessed thistle, Holy Thistle, Sacred Thistle
Centaurea benedicta

Family: Asteraceae

What it is like

A medium sized annual thistle. It is softly hairy. The stems are usually only branched at the base. They are reddish-purple. The leaves are alternate and oblong. They are pale green. The veins underneath and prominent and white. The leaves at the base are often in a ring. They are divided into lobes along the stalk. These lower leaves have stalks. The upper leaves are smaller and partly clasp the stem. There are tips at the spine. The flower heads are yellow and pale green. They are 25-40 mm long. They occur singly. The florets are smaller, tube shaped and surrounded by a ruff of small upper leaves.

It is used in medicine. There is only one Cnicus species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows on cultivated and waste land. It will grow on most soils. It is resistant to drought and frost.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Caucasus, Central Asia, Chile, Czech, Europe (country/location of origin), France, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kurdistan, Macedonia, Mediterranean (country/location of origin), Middle East, North Africa, North America, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Türkiye, Uruguay

How it is used for food

It is used for flavouring including drinks. The aerial parts are cooked as a stew. The root can be boiled as a potherb. Caution: It is poisonous in large amounts.

It was formerly cultivated.

Edible parts

Leaves, flower heads, roots, flavouring

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Acı dürlek, Cardo bendito, Cardo santo, Cristo pobre, Diken, Diken otu, Tulu diken

Synonyms

Benedicta officinalis Bernh.; Calcitrapa benedicta (L.) Sweet; Calcitrapa lanuginosa Lam.; Carbeni benedicta (L.) Arcang.; Carbeni benedicta (L.) Adans.; Cardosanctus officinalis Bubani; Carduus benedictus Auct. ex Steud.; Carduus benedictus (L.) Garsault; Centaurea centriflora Friv. ex Gugler; Centaurea pseudobenedicta (Asch.) E.H.L.Krause; Cirsium horridum (Adams) Petr.; Cnicus benedictus L.; Cnicus benedictus var. benedictus; Cnicus benedictus var. kotschyi Boiss.; Cnicus benedictus var. microcephalus (K.Koch) Boiss.; Cnicus bulgaricus Panov; Cnicus kotschyi Sch.Bip.; Cnicus microcephalus Boiss.; Cnicus pseudo-benedictus hort.dorpat. ex Asch.; Epitrachys microcephala K.Koch;