Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)
Flowers: June to August. Height: Up to 200cm (80in).
Also known as the Marian or Mary Thistle, the species name Marianum comes from the Latin and refers to a legend that the milky white streaks on the spiny leaves of this species of thistle came from the milk of the Virgin Mary nursing her child whilst fleeing to Egypt.
Medicinal: For over 2000 years the plant was used to treat diseases of the liver. The Hortus Sanitatis (a Latin natural history encyclopaedia, published in 1491) gives a long list of medicinal virtues, including its capacity to relieve the thirst of infants bitten by venomous creatures. It was believed to increase the flow of mother’s milk, and help women to nourish their children.
Culinary: Milk thistle was eaten as a vegetable.
