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Carlina vulgaris - L.

Common Name Carline Thistle
Family Asteraceae or Compositae
USDA hardiness 5-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Poor soils[200] on dry banks and pastures[4], especially on chalk[13, 17].
Range Europe, including Britain, north to 60° N., east to Siberia, Caucasus and W. Asia.
Edibility Rating    (1 of 5)
Other Uses    (1 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun
Carlina vulgaris Carline Thistle


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carlina_vulgaris_Sturm18.jpg
Carlina vulgaris Carline Thistle
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:BerndH

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
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

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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:

Fahrenheit:

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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).

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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 it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Carlina acanthifolia Perennial0.6 4-8  LMHNDM10 
Carlina acaulisStemless Carline ThistleBiennial/Perennial0.2 4-8  LMHNDM221

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.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

17200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

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