Scolymus maculatus

Spotted thistle, Spotted golden thistle

Asteraceae Edible: Leaves, Root, Vegetable, Stems 965 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Scolymus maculatus is a spiny annual plant in the family Asteraceae. It is known as scolyme taché in French, cardogna macchiata in Italian, cardo borriquero in Spanish, and escólimo-malhado in Portuguese, חוח עקוד in Hebrew and سنارية حولية in Arabic. In English it is called spotted golden thistle or spotted oyster thistle. The plant has pinnately incised prickly leaves and prickly wings along the stems, both with a white marginal vein. The yellow flower heads stand solitary or with a few together at the tip to the stems, and subtended by more than five leaflike bracts. It is native to the Mediterranean region in southern Europe, southwest Asia, and northern Africa, and also the Canary Islands.

Description

A hairy annual herb plant. It grows 1.5-2 m high. The leaves and wings of the stem have a thick white margin and veins. The flower heads are golden yellow. They are thistle like. They are 20-30 mm across. The corolla of the flower is brown and hairy in the lower half.

Edible Uses

Young leaves can be cooked and used as a spinach. The root is also edible when cooked.

Traditional Uses

The thick root can be prepared the same way as salsify. They are boiled and eaten. The young leaves can be cooked and eaten. They are also used in salads. They can be added to casseroles and omelettes. The young stems can be eaten raw. The spines are removed!

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It grows in warm temperate and Mediterranean climates.

Where It Grows

Africa, Australia, Britain, Europe, France, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, North Africa, Portugal, Sicily,Spain,

Cultivation

Grows well in an ordinary garden soil in sun or semi-shade.

Propagation

Seed: sow in spring or autumn in situ.

Other Uses

None known.

Other Information

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Also Known As

Cardeune, Guernina, Scuoddo, Sinnariah, Tagarnina, Taghediwt

References (22)

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Biscotti, N. et al, 2018, The traditional food use of wild vegetables in Apulia (Italy) in the light of Italian ethnobotanical literature. Italian Botanist 5:1-24
Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 459
Della, A., et al, 2006, An ethnobotanical survey of wild edible plants of Paphos and Larnaca countryside of Cyprus. J. Ethnobiol. Ethnomed. 2:34

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