Is this Milk Thistle?

[socalgardengal]

It looks like it hurts bad but I didn't pull it because I wanted to see the flower. It's kind of a pretty flower. If my ID is right, isn't it considered an herb or medicinal? Thanks

[Doug9345]

It looks like a common thistle to me. The open purple floor is about as far open as they get. They definitely hurt if you run into one or grab it.

[Ken4230]

The leaves directly below the flower look like Milk Thistle leaves. If the main stem has sharp spines on it, it is not Milk Thistle. My grandmother used to drink a "medicinal tonic" of thistle leaves steeped in corn whiskey.
They also used the leaves and sap as a poultice on infections and to draw splinters out.

The last few days, I have been trying to control the common old Field Thistle by bush-hogging and spraying Crossbow. I think i am fighting a losing battle, my hands and ankles are sore to the touch because they are full of thistle spines.

If you need some more, i will be glad to send you some

[matilda'skid]

Don't let it go to seed. I don't know milk thistle from musk thistle but don't take any chances.

[habitat_gardener]

It doesn't look like milk thistle to me. Milk thistle has pronounced white veining on the leaves with distinctive splotchiness (see google images). The seeds are the medicinal part.

Your plant looks like one of the invasive species that's taking over California's wildlands.

[beeman]

Looks like the Common Scots thistle, invasive, difficult to get rid of, as someone wrote, don't allow it to seed as they blow everywhere.
I know we all hate Roundup, but it was the only thing I found to get rid of it.

[Ken4230]

Originally Posted by beeman

Looks like the Common Scots thistle, invasive, difficult to get rid of, as someone wrote, don't allow it to seed as they blow everywhere.
I know we all hate Roundup, but it was the only thing I found to get rid of it.

Crossbow, a brush killer, will smoke it. It is quiet expensive, up to $75.00 a gal. Due to working long hours to build up my pension before retiring, my food plots and fallow ground has gotten away from me, so i have sprayed close to 20 gal. of it in the last 2 months.

I'm like you, i hate to use chemicals like that but sometimes circumstances are beyond our control. I've been using a tyvek suit lately. It stops the tingling that sometimes comes with the spraying.
Grandbabies will make you think before you do something stupid. Age helps also.

Ken

[socalgardengal]

I trying to learn the names of the weeds growing around my house. I'll scrap it up with a shovel today. Don't want nasty weeds growing and it has some gnarly thorns on it. The flower is beautiful though. Thanks everyone