Cirsium oleraceum aka Cabbage Thistle

Cirsium oleraceum is a perennial in the daisy family, Asteraceae. Its common names include cabbage thistle and meadow distaff. Its native range spans Europe, western Siberia and Kazakhstan. It grows in temperate regions but is not native to Britain or Ireland. There, recorded habitats include marshes, fens, stream banks and wet woods. It avoids acid soils in these habitats.

This plant forms clumps and loses its leaves in winter. Garden plants reach about 3.3–4.9 feet [1–1.5 metres] tall. The RHS description gives a height of 3.9 feet [1.2 metres]. Clumps spread about 0.3–1.6 feet [0.1–0.5 metres] across. They take two to five years to reach full size. The mid-green leaves have deep lobes and soft spines along their edges. Cream-coloured thistle flower heads cluster at the stem tips. Large green bracts surround these heads. Flowering falls in late summer and early autumn.

Grow cabbage thistle in sun or partial shade. It needs moist soil with a neutral or alkaline pH. Chalk, clay, loam and sandy soils can all suit it. It accepts both moist, well-drained ground and poorly drained sites. The RHS rates its cold hardiness as H7. This rating covers European climates with winter lows below −20°C. Plants can grow in sheltered sites or more exposed places. Sow seeds in pots in a cold frame during spring. Spring is also the time to divide established clumps.

Its form suits cottage gardens and informal planting. Wildlife gardens, bog gardens and shaded woodland edges are other supported settings. Plants For A Future notes that it attracts wildlife. The RHS reports few pest problems and generally little disease. Powdery mildew can still occur. Plants may seed themselves, which can be unwelcome in some gardens. Cut plants back hard after flowering where this causes trouble. The seed fluff has also served as tinder.

People have cooked the young leaves as a vegetable. The roots have also been cooked and eaten. Harvest roots before flowering for this use. Plants For A Future gives its food value two out of five. It suggests that the roots likely contain inulin. This may cause gas in some people. The source lists no known hazards, but reports no medicinal uses.