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EDIBLE THISTLE

Class: Cirsium edule
Family: ASTER FAMILY
Sub Family: Asteraceae, Compositae
Year: Biennial
Other Names:
Colour: Deep red-purple
Height: 60 cm-1.8 m (2-6')
Each Flower: 2.5-4 cm (1-1 1/2") across, with bristly-looking, deep red-purple ray-flowers; bracts on involucre slender, standing out, resembling sea-urchin; often downy
Leaves: More regular-shaped than other thistles, perhaps less deeply-lobed and toothed with less and shorter spines; blades more delicate, but with prominent mid-rib; upper ones stalkless
Stems: Stout, succulent, hollow, slightly-hairy, tapering towards top where it may branch into flower-stems
Blooming Period: July - September
Habitat: Moister, open woods, wet meadows at more mountainous elevations
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