Translate this page:

Summary

Physical Characteristics

Carlina vulgaris is a BIENNIAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in flower from July to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers
Edible Uses:

Flowering head - cooked. Used as a globe artichoke substitute[2, 105, 177, 183], though they are considerably smaller and even more fiddly[K].

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Diaphoretic Purgative

The roots and leaves are diaphoretic and purgative[4].

References More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital media.

More Books

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

Shop Now

Other Uses

Weather forecasting

The flower heads expand in dry weather and close in moist weather. The dried flowers will continue to do this for a long time and they thus form a basic hygrometer for use in weather forecasting[4].

Special Uses

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in a sunny position in ordinary garden soil[1]. Prefers an alkaline soil[138]. Prefers a poor soil[4, 200]. Plants are hardy to about -15°c[200]. The presence of this species in a meadow usually indicates a poor sandy soil[4]. This species resents root disturbance, it should be planted into its final position as soon as possible[138].

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Celsius Fahrenheit:

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

Shop Now

Plant Propagation

Seed - surface sow in a cold frame in the spring. The seed usually germinates in 4 - 8 weeks at 15°c[138]. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia EUROPE: Denmark, United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine, Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Croatia, Italy, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, France

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so itâ€™s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Carlina acanthifolia		Perennial	0.6	4-8		LMH	N	DM	1	0
Carlina acaulis	Stemless Carline Thistle	Biennial/Perennial	0.2	4-8		LMH	N	DM	2	2	1

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

Carlina vulgaris - L.