Cobwebby thistle
Cirsium occidentale
Family: Asteraceae
What it is like
A herb. It is a thistle which completes its life cycle over 2 years. It is a spiky plant. The leaves form a ring or rosette near the base. It grows 60-150 cm high and spreads 90 cm wide. The flower heads are in clusters and are spiny. There are white woolly bracts around the flower head. The flowers are bright red. The leaves are deeply divided and bear spikes.
There are about 150-250 Cirsium species. They grow in temperate regions.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It does best in full sun. It can grow in average soils but they should be well drained.
Countries/locations it is found in
North America, USA
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Root, stem
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed. The seed are sown directly. Plants should be 20-30 cm apart. Plants reseed easily.