MILK THISTLE

The milk thistle, with its spiny leaves and brightly colored flowers, is a familiar and very visible weed, especially along Southern California roadsides.

Milk thistles ( Silybum marianum ) spread very rapidly, particularly in dry, open places. They are native to the Mediterranean region.

About 200 species of these spiny herbs, some native and others exotic, grow throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

Thistle plants vary in height. Some are about 1 1/2 tall. Others reach heights of up to 6 feet. The milk thistle has coarse, prickly-edged leaves streaked with white veins, giving the plant a mottled appearance.

The thistle’s grayish-green stem is cobwebby and slender--about 1/8 inch or less near the head. The flowers bloom from May through June in shades of pink, lavender and purple and, occasionally, yellow or white.

The milk thistle is commonly eaten in France and is said to be wholesome and delicious.

It also has a curative value. Since the 1st Century, people have believed that it restores impaired liver function. The plant has been found to contain a chemical substance called silymarin, which has a regenerative effect on the liver. It has served as an antidote to the poisonous death cap mushroom.