Lesser thistle
Cirsium segetum

Family: Asteraceae

What it is like

A spiny herb. It is a thistle. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 10-60 cm high. There are wire like underground stems or rhizomes. The buds at the end develop into aerial shoots. The leaves on young plants are in a ring. The leaves on the stems are alternate. They are sword shaped and 2-10 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. They do not have leaf stalks. The flowers are purple-red.

There are about 150-250 Cirsium species. They grow in temperate regions.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It is common in northern China.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Japan, Korea, Manchuria, Mongolia

How it is used for food

The young leaves are eaten as a vegetable. They are boiled, washed and drained and seasoned for salads. They are also cooked with cracked cereals as a famine food.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chonun haltar

Synonyms

Cephalonoplos segetum (Bunge) Kitamura; Breea segeta (Bunge) Kitamura;