We depend on donations from users of our database of over 8000 edible and useful plants to keep making it available free of charge and to further extend and improve it. In recent months donations are down, and we are spending more than we receive. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Carduus crispus - L.

Common Name Welted Thistle, Curly plumeless thistle
Family Asteraceae or Compositae
USDA hardiness 6-9
Known Hazards The root may be slightly toxic[178].
Habitats Waste ground, cultivated fields and roadsides in Japan[58].
Range Europe to Asia. A rare casual in Britain[17].
Edibility Rating    (1 of 5)
Other Uses    (1 of 5)
Weed Potential Yes
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Full sun
Carduus crispus Welted Thistle, Curly plumeless thistle


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:543_Carduus_crispus.jpg
Carduus crispus Welted Thistle, Curly plumeless thistle
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carduus_crispus_002a.JPG

 

Translate this page:

Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Carduus crispus is a BIENNIAL growing to 0.9 m (3ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. It is in flower from May to August, and the seeds ripen from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies).
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 and can tolerate drought.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves  Oil
Edible Uses: Oil

Young leaves - cooked[105]. An emergency food, used when all else fails[177].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Alterative  Anodyne

The root is alterative and anodyne[178, 218].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

Now available: PLANTS FOR YOUR FOOD FOREST: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens.

An important new book from PFAF. It focuses on the attributes of plants suitable for food forests, what each can contribute to a food forest ecosystem, including carbon sequestration, and the kinds of foods they yield. The book suggests that community and small-scale food forests can provide a real alternative to intensive industrialised agriculture, and help to combat the many inter-related environmental crises that threaten the very future of life on Earth.

Read More

FOOD FOREST PLANTS

Other Uses

Oil

The seed of all species of thistles yields a good oil by expression[4]. No details of potential yields etc are given[K]. A favorite foodplant of caterpillars of the Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui).

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in a sunny position in ordinary garden soil[1, 200]. This species is closely related to C. acanthoides[17].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees, and Woodland Gardening. Our new book to be released soon is Edible Shrubs.

Shop Now

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in situ.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Curly plumeless thistle, welted thistle, Denmark: Kruset tidsel. Sweden: Krustistel.

Native Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Asia, Australia, Britain, Canada, China, Europe, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mongolia, North America, Russia, USA.

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

A noxious weed in several U.S. states, including Arkansas, Iowa, West Virginia.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Carduus cernuus Biennial0.9 -  LMHNM102
Carduus nutansMusk Thistle, Nodding plumeless thistleBiennial0.9 6-9  LMHNM223

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Print Friendly and PDF

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

58235

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

cripy   Sun Aug 27 2006

i just have a question. is it very rare?

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Carduus crispus  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.