Tomatoville® Gardening Forums


Notices

General information and discussion about cultivating herbs.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old August 20, 2013   #1
socalgardengal
Tomatovillian™
 
socalgardengal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: San Diego,Ca
Posts: 462
Default Is this Milk Thistle?

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
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 20130820_144216.jpg (464.5 KB, 57 views)
socalgardengal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 20, 2013   #2
Doug9345
Tomatovillian™
 
Doug9345's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Durhamville,NY
Posts: 2,706
Default

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.
Doug9345 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 20, 2013   #3
Ken4230
Tomatovillian™
 
Ken4230's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Western Ky
Posts: 282
Default

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
Ken4230 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 20, 2013   #4
matilda'skid
Tomatovillian™
 
matilda'skid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 309
Default

Don't let it go to seed. I don't know milk thistle from musk thistle but don't take any chances.
matilda'skid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 21, 2013   #5
habitat_gardener
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: California Central Valley
Posts: 2,539
Default

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.
habitat_gardener is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 21, 2013   #6
beeman
Tomatovillian™
 
beeman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 692
Default

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.
beeman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 21, 2013   #7
Ken4230
Tomatovillian™
 
Ken4230's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Western Ky
Posts: 282
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by beeman View Post
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
Ken4230 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 21, 2013   #8
socalgardengal
Tomatovillian™
 
socalgardengal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: San Diego,Ca
Posts: 462
Default

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
socalgardengal is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:10 AM.


★ Tomatoville® is a registered trademark of Commerce Holdings, LLC ★ All Content ©2022 Commerce Holdings, LLC ★