Carthamus arborescens
Family: Asteraceae
What it is like
A thistle like plant which keeps growing from year to year. It is a stout plant with a woody base. It grows 2.5 m tall. The stems are straw coloured and covered with woolly hairs. The leaves are sword shaped and have lobes. The edges are spiny. The upper leaves clasp the stem. The flower heads are yellow and 30-50 mm across.
There are 14 Carthamus species. They are thistle like plants. They are mostly Mediterranean.
Where it is found
It grows on rocky sites and sandy coastal regions.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Europe, Mediterranean, North Africa, Spain
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Leaves