Cirsium oleraceum

Cabbage thistle ( Cirsium oleraceum )

The Cabbage thistle ( Cirsium oleraceum ), also known simply cabbage thistle, is a species of the genus of thistles ( Cirsium ) in the sunflower family ( Asteraceae).

Description

The Cabbage Thistle is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches the heights of growth from 50 to 170 cm. It is not pungent. Its stalk is leafy walk to the top. The leaves are soft, the upper mostly undivided, heart-shaped amplexicaul; the lower lobed pinnatifid.

Two to six basket- like inflorescences are knäuelig together at the stem ends. The egg-shaped, soft thorny, undivided, yellow - green bracts extend beyond the flowers. The tubular flowers are pale yellow. The flowering period extends from June to October.

Ecology

The Cabbage Thistle is a Hemikryptophyt. It occurs sometimes quite easily, because it is promoted by fertilization and nutrient enrichment as a result of pollution. However, it is not a valuable forage plant is more despised by grazing animals and is also suitable for drying unsuitable as they crumble easily.

Pollination is by insects ( Lepidoptera and bumblebees ). It is a nectar and pollen donor of particular value.

The fruit experienced a spread as Schirmchenflieger and water Hafter, a processing spread by finches, chickadees, Crossbills and linnet takes place.

Occurrence

The Cabbage Thistle thrives from Western Europe to Western Siberia at all altitudes except the alpine altitude level.

The Cabbage Thistle grows common in wet meadows and woodland, in herbaceous communities on stream banks and sources. She loves base-and moderate nitrogen- rich soil. After Ellenberg she is a fountain and a pointer Verbandscharakterart fertilized wet meadows ( Calthion ).

Use

In Eastern Europe and Siberia, and occasionally in central Europe, it is used as a vegetable plant and cultivated in Japan for this purpose.

The leaves and the " rootstock " can be eaten cooked. The " rhizome " is rich in inulin.

More images

Inflorescence

Swell

• Cabbage thistle. In: FloraWeb.de.
• Ruprecht Duell, Herfried Kutzelnigg: Pocket Dictionary of Plants in Germany and neighboring countries. The most common central European species in the portrait. 7, revised and expanded edition. Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2011, ISBN 978-3-494-01424-1. (Section Ecology )