Cirsium foliosum aka Drummond's Thistle

Cirsium foliosum is a perennial in the daisy family, Asteraceae. Its names include elk thistle, leafy thistle and meadow thistle. Its native range spans subarctic North America south to Wyoming. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. The RHS lists Cirsium acaulescens as a synonym. Plants For A Future gives its height as 2 feet [0.6 metres].

This plant grows in swales and other damp, poorly drained sites. In gardens, it suits bog gardens and planted beds. Give it a sunny site, since it cannot grow in shade. It prefers soil that stays moist or wet. Plants For A Future also suggests that it should withstand wet ground. It grows in ordinary garden soil and accepts sand, loam or clay. Its soil range includes mildly acid, neutral and mildly alkaline conditions. The source describes it as easy to grow. It lists USDA hardiness zones 5–9.

Flowers appear from July to August. Each flower has both male and female organs. Bees, flies, moths, butterflies and beetles pollinate the plant. It is also self-fertile. Seeds ripen from August to September, after the flowering season. These summer flowers provide a garden role for insect pollination. The supplied species evidence does not describe flower colour or leaf shape.

Several parts have recorded food uses. The cooked root has a sweet taste and needs lengthy preparation. It can reach about the size of a carrot. Peeled stems also serve as a sweet cooked vegetable. The source lists leaves and the plant crown as edible too. It gives no preparation details for those parts. The root may contain inulin, which humans cannot digest. In some people, gut fermentation of inulin can cause gas. Plants For A Future records no known hazards or medicinal uses. That lack of reported hazards does not establish safety for pets.

Sow seeds where the plants will grow in early spring or autumn. At 20°C, germination can take two to eight weeks. Spring and autumn are also suitable times to divide plants. Plants For A Future flags the species as potentially weedy. It does not state how strongly it spreads or where it becomes troublesome.