Thistle is known to us as a malicious weed, but it is worth justifying this plant. It has long been used to treat various ailments, and in times of famine it has more than once saved people from starvation.
Description of thistle
Thistle is a type of perennial or annual herbaceous plants. It belongs to the Asteraceae (Asteraceae) family. The height of the plant stems is 50–170 cm (depending on growing conditions and species). Thistle forms a dense network of roots - horizontal roots lie in the surface layer of soil, and vertical rhizomes penetrate deeper.
The plant has a weakly spiny simple stem (naked or pubescent with glandular hairs, straight or branched). Upper part the stem remains bare. The leaves are painted bright green - they can be pinnately dissected, alternate, pinnately lobed, or entire. The lower stem leaves gradually taper, turning into a winged petiole. The leaf edges of most thistle species are spiny-toothed.
Small reed flowers of the plant are collected in baskets. In many species of thistle, they close in the evening and in cloudy weather. At the base, the baskets are surrounded by a cup-shaped or bell-shaped cylindrical involucre. Flowering season is from June to October. Thistle seeds have a drooping pappus - it is formed from soft, thin, slightly jagged hairs connected at the base into a ring. Each plant produces about 6,500 seeds, which are dispersed by the wind and germinate without a dormant period. Their germination persists for more than 20 years.
Thistle is a weed that is very difficult to get rid of. In addition to high fertility, sow thistle also spreads with the help of roots - simply by digging up the area where it grew, you can acquire young shoots (roots with adventitious buds break and produce new shoots). Thistle can grow on any type of soil and in conditions unfavorable for other plants. The plant is distributed in Africa and Eurasia. It can be found in gardens and orchards, in littered areas and uncultivated fields.
Types of thistle
About 80 species of thistle are known (among them there are subshrubs). Main types:
Field sow thistle is a tenacious field weed. Grass infests all types of crops and is found in vegetable gardens and orchards. The height of the plant is 170 cm, the root is buried 4 meters into the soil, the horizontal roots are about a meter long. Grows in the European part of Russia, in Central Asia and Crimea, the Caucasus and Far East, in Western and Eastern Siberia.
Sow thistle – annual nasty weed, having a branched stem about a meter long. It grows in the Far East, in the European part of Russia, in Siberia. It litters fields, vegetable gardens, orchards.
Pink sow thistle is a perennial herbaceous plant. weed 1 m high. A plant of this species has a long taproot and lateral roots. The plant is widespread in the European part of Russia. It grows in wastelands, fields, pastures, and near roads.
Yellow sow thistle is a perennial weed with bare long stem. This species is widespread everywhere.
Chemical composition of thistle
The chemical composition of thistle has not been fully studied. It is known that the leaves contain vitamins (carotene, ascorbic acid), and there are traces of alkaloids. The plant contains tannins, fatty oils, rubber, bitterness, inulin, choline, and tartaric acid.
Useful properties of thistle
IN medicinal purposes use aboveground part plants. The grass is collected during flowering. Dry it in well-ventilated areas. Preparations prepared from thistle have anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, choleretic, lactogenic properties.
Thistle extract is used for diseases of the central nervous system. Sow thistle is used in the treatment helminthic infestations, headaches, neuroses, metabolic disorders, vascular diseases. Sow thistle preparations are prescribed as a general tonic, as well as for the resorption of seals after injuries and bruises.
Thistle juice helps remove warts. Decoctions and infusions of sow thistle treat jaundice, fever, inflammatory liver diseases. The plant serves as an antidote for opium poisoning. Steamed herb is used for sore throat and chronic gastroenteritis. Thistle roots are also used in folk medicine– they treat with drugs based on them nephritis, osteoarticular tuberculosis, fever.
Application of thistle
Thistle can be used as pasture for livestock. In times of famine, the grass was soaked in salt water and then used to prepare various dishes - cabbage soup, salads. You can also eat boiled sow thistle roots (they taste like Jerusalem artichoke). Thistle is an excellent honey plant (bees collect about 110 kg of nectar from 1 hectare). Thistle honey is often used for winter feeding bees
Contraindications to the use of thistle
Preparations from sow thistle are contraindicated during pregnancy, during lactation, and also when individual sensitivity of the body.
Thistle is a plant with beneficial properties. Even though thistle is a weed, people still value it and use it to treat a variety of ailments.
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It is hardly possible to find a gardener who has not had trouble with such a plant as sow thistle (weed). How to deal with this grass, and whether it can be completely eliminated - these questions concern every owner land plot or dachas.
Description and types
The plant belongs to the Asteraceae family. Its most common types are field and garden sow thistle, as well as rough sow thistle.
Thistle field (yellow) is a perennial, has a height of 1.5-1.7 m. The plant has a bare, hollow stem, has gray-green serrated leaves and golden flowers. yellow in inflorescences. The habitats of this type of sow thistle are wastelands, river banks, ravines, orchards and vegetable gardens.
Pink sow thistle (rough) is a variety of field sow thistle. Flowers of this species pink color, collected in inflorescences. The plant is perennial, up to 1.2 m in height, with a strong root system, erect and branched stem, and spiny oblong leaves. Grows in fields, pastures, wastelands and roadside areas. Demanding on soil.
Sow thistle is an annual that grows very quickly, reaching a height of up to 1.5 m, has a thick, fleshy stem, hard spiny leaves, and small flowers in bright yellow inflorescences.
The plant's root system is very powerful - the more its root is chopped up, the more it multiplies. The weed is very difficult to remove, despite the fact that it is an annual.
Thistle propagates vegetatively and using seeds. Flowering lasts from July to September. Weed grows in a field, in a garden, in a vegetable garden. Any soil is suitable for it. In Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, the Far East, the Caucasus, Siberia and Central Asia you can find sow thistle.
How to get rid of a weed?
In the fight against this plant, you need to use radical methods. You can remove this thistle from the garden using chemicals, mechanically or using traditional methods.
Various chemicals can be used to kill weeds. However, although this method is effective, it also has its drawbacks. This method can only be used on an uncultivated area, since chemicals Together with the weed, they poison the soil and other plants. To make the treatment more effective, it is advisable to carry it out in the evening. Despite the fact that manufacturers guarantee the safety of drugs, when carrying out the procedure, it is better to carefully protect the skin from contact with the product. After treating the area, you need to wait some time for the chemicals to wear off.
Traditional methods of getting rid of weeds
More gentle are traditional methods. Spraying thistle with kerosene is very effective. By acting carefully, you can quickly get rid of thistle without harming other plants.
You can plant flowers around the perimeter of the garden bed " Cheerful guys", next to which thistle does not grow.
The use of green manure (lupine, alfalfa, nettle, rye, peas, etc.) is effective. After these plants germinate, you need to cover them with cardboard or newspapers and leave them to grow until spring. Not a single weed can survive in such conditions, and rotted grass will enrich the soil.
This method can also be used without sowing green manure. In a neglected area that is overgrown with weeds, you need to trample down tall plants, trying to press them as close to the ground as possible, then cover them with newspapers and plant debris. The weeds will rot without a trace. In addition, this method increases the soil fertility on the site.
A mechanical method of getting rid of weeds involves digging up the ground in the fall, after the crop is harvested. You need to dig deeply to extract the entire sow thistle root out. The weed must then be collected by hand and taken to the compost heap. The soil is not loosened, as thistle seeds can go deep and take root. Left on the surface, they will freeze out in winter.
It is necessary to weed the garden at least once every two weeks to prevent the roots from regaining their strength. The weed sow thistle is especially dangerous during the flowering period. In addition, its root is able to maintain its viability for another two weeks after the above-ground part has been removed. You can remove this thistle manually when the plant is still young. During this period, its root is not yet so powerful and is located shallow in the ground. Regular weeding will lead to weakening and death of the plant.
In summer, you can cover the beds with agrofilm with slots for the growth of vegetables. This cover prevents weeds from growing.
Benefits of the plant
The first question for gardeners who find thistle thistle on their property is how to get rid of the weed? But few people know that this plant also has beneficial properties.
Bees flock to the yellow baskets of this weed; the plant is a honey plant. Thistle honey is light yellow in color and has a delicate aroma and taste.
Those who are involved in rabbit breeding have probably more than once asked the question: can rabbits use garden sow thistle? Will it harm them? There is no need to worry about this as the plant is a good food for rabbits as well as other herbivores.
Not only animals, but also people can use thistle for food, the beneficial properties of which have been known for a long time. In some villages, various dishes are still prepared from it. Leaves pre-soaked in brine make excellent salads and cabbage soup. The roots of the plant also have nutritional properties, their taste resembles Jerusalem artichoke.
Preparation and storage
The sow thistle grass is harvested during the flowering period. Young, flimsy plants are suitable for collection. The raw materials are dried on outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. The place should be shaded to prevent direct sun rays.
Sow thistle: medicinal properties
For hemorrhoids. Dried herb baths are used to treat this disease. To do this, pour a handful of dry raw materials with water (1 liter), boil for five minutes, strain and pour into a cool bath. The procedure lasts 15 minutes. It is necessary to take such a bath three times a week until improvement occurs.
For inflammation of the lymph nodes and skin inflammation. In such cases, a decoction is used. You need to take 1 tbsp. l. herbs and pour boiling water (250 ml). Leave for an hour, then strain. Take a tablespoon of the product up to four times a day.
With jaundice. The decoction is prepared in the same way as described above, but take two tablespoons four times a day. Treatment lasts 1 month.
For nephritis. To prepare the medicine, use crushed sow thistle roots (1 tablespoon per half liter of water). The broth should be boiled for 5 minutes, cooled and strained. Take 1 tbsp. l. three times a day. The duration of treatment is two weeks.
For liver diseases. Milky juice is used in treatment. To prepare it, young plant with stems and leaves, crushed and squeezed by hand through cheesecloth. Then 4-6 drops of the resulting juice are diluted in a small amount of water and drunk three times a day.
Boiled leaves of the plant are used as an external remedy for skin inflammation. The plant is also effective in stopping bleeding and disinfecting wounds. To do this, fresh leaves are crushed, placed on a gauze bandage and pressed to the wound.
When breastfeeding
In order to establish lactation, thistle tea is used. It is prepared like this: 1 tsp. (without top) dry grass pour 1 tbsp. boiling water You can add honey. Drink this tea 40 minutes before feeding the baby.
For disorders of the nervous system, headaches, to improve metabolism and strengthen the body as a whole, use thistle infusion. To prepare it, pour a tablespoon of dry raw material into a glass of boiling water, leave for an hour, and filter. The infusion is consumed 1 tbsp. l. 4 times a day.
Use in cooking
Although the plant is a weed, very healthy, fortified salads are prepared from it. Before use, young thistle leaves are soaked in cold water or salt solution for 30-40 minutes, then finely cut with a knife. Add to salad pickled cucumber, grated horseradish. Mix everything and season with sour cream. If the sour cream is thick, the salad can be spread on bread.
The plant is also used as a filling for pies, an additive for soups, and vinaigrettes. Thistle is prepared for the winter by drying the leaves or salting them.
Contraindications
Treatment with sow thistle should be carried out with caution, observing the required dosages. The plant is poisonous, so before starting treatment with sow thistle preparations, you should consult a doctor (especially those who have acute or chronic diseases gastrointestinal tract and spleen).
Trying to bring thistle thistle to summer cottage or garden, gardeners should remember that this weed, in addition to causing harm, can also be beneficial.
Thank you
Many gardeners know sow thistle like a nasty weed that is very difficult to get rid of. But few people know that this plant has a large number beneficial properties, thanks to which it is widely used in folk medicine. Well, let's try to fill this gap and talk about the benefits of thistle and how to use it.
Sow thistle plant
Sow thistle is a type of annual or perennial herbaceous plants belonging to the Asteraceae (or Compositae) family.This plant, whose height varies from 50 to 170 cm (depending on the species), forms a fairly dense network of roots located in the surface layers of the soil.
The stems of thistle can be straight or branched (most often the sow thistle has a simple, slightly spiny stem, which can be bare or covered with glandular hairs). The upper part of the stem is leafless.
The bright green leaves of the plant are alternate, pinnately dissected, pinnately lobed or entire, while the lower stem leaves can gradually taper into a winged petiole. The edge of thistle leaves is often spiny-toothed.
Small flowers of thistle are ligulate, they are collected in baskets, which in some species can close in the evening, as well as in cloudy weather. The flowers are collected in a common inflorescence. The baskets are surrounded at the very base by a cylindrical, bell-shaped or cup-shaped involucre.
The seeds of the plant have an easily falling pappus, which is formed from thin, soft (almost smooth) and slightly jagged hairs, which are soldered at the base into a ring.
On what soils does thistle grow?
The distribution area of thistle is quite wide - this includes Belarus, Ukraine, and European part Russia, and the Far East, and the Caucasus, and Siberia (Western and Eastern), and Central Asia.Thistle “settles” in gardens, vegetable gardens, and also in fields (especially empty ones), preferring rich and abundantly moistened soils, although it can grow on dry and also slightly saline soils.
Thistle is a weed
Thistle reproduces both by seeds and vegetatively. Each flower of the plant contains up to 6,500 seeds, which germinate without a dormant period and are carried by the wind over long distances.In the first year of the sow thistle’s life, its root goes deep into the soil by two meters, while in the third year the root goes into the soil by four meters, and when the root is injured, the so-called “awakening” of dormant buds occurs, which sprout new shoots, which leads to the appearance new plant.
You can fight this plant by weeding, which is carried out every two weeks, which will help deplete root system sow thistle In the spring, the roots, which have not yet taken root deeply in the soil, are pulled out.
Important! Seeds that have managed to lie deep in the ground remain viable for up to 20 years, and sometimes more.
BUT! Sow thistle is not only a weed, but also medicinal plant, used in folk medicine to treat many serious illnesses. Therefore, before you completely destroy this plant, think about the fact that tomorrow it can help eliminate headaches, relieve fever, or alleviate hemorrhoids.
For medicinal purposes, sow thistle grass (mainly leaves and shoots) and roots are used. Thus, the above-ground part is collected during the flowering of the plant (from June to September), while the roots are recommended to be collected in the fall. The raw materials are dried in ventilated rooms or under canopies, and direct exposure to sunlight should be avoided. Dried sow thistle is stored in paper bags.
Types of thistle
There are about 80 types of thistle, but we will only talk about field yellow, garden and field pink. It is these types of sow thistle that are used in folk medicine because they are similar in their chemical composition and nutritional properties.Field sow thistle (yellow)
This type of sow thistle is a perennial plant, reaching a height of 150 - 170 cm. The main tap root of the yellow thistle goes four meters into the soil, while the length of the horizontal lateral roots can be one meter. Field sow thistle has a bare, hollow stem bearing spiky, toothed, grey-green leaves. The stem of the plant, covered with glandular hairs directly on the peduncles, branches at the top.
The golden-yellow flowers of the plant are collected in paniculate inflorescences.
The inflorescence of field thistle is a complex corymbose panicle of baskets that are similar to dandelion baskets (they have yellow reed flowers, which many mistake for petals). The wrapping of the baskets of yellow pitcher thistle.
This type of sow thistle is common in wastelands, river banks, ravines, gardens, and also in vegetable gardens.
Field sow thistle, which is good honey plant, has medicinal properties due to which it is used in the treatment vascular diseases, headaches, neuroses.
In folk medicine, field sow thistle is used as a general strengthening, tonic and vitamin remedy in the treatment of:
- inflammatory processes localized in the stomach, intestines, lungs;
- chronic gastroenteritis;
- jade;
- osteoarticular tuberculosis;
- fever.
Sow thistle
Sow thistle is annual plant, whose height is 30 – 100 cm. The stem of this species of sow thistle is mostly branched right down to the base. The pointed-toothed and pinnately divided leaves of thistle have sharp ears, while upper leaves the plants are sessile, and the lower ones have a winged petiole. It must be said that the leaves of the garden thistle are softer than those of the yellow thistle.
The sow thistle and inflorescence differ in these two species: for example, in the garden thistle, the inflorescence tongues are somewhat wider and often have obverse-apical leaves with baskets reaching 3.5 cm in diameter.
The fruits of the plant are brown achenes with a tuft white.
The distribution area of this species of sow thistle is identical to the places where field thistle grows.
Garden sow thistle, like field sow, is used in folk medicine to remove worms, treat painful inflammatory seals, chest pain, colds, hepatic colic, pulmonary hemorrhages, gout, ascites, abscesses.
To prepare an infusion that can be used for the above diseases, one tablespoon of thistle herb is poured with a glass of boiling water. Then the product is infused for about an hour, filtered using a double layer of gauze and taken one tablespoon three times a day.
Fresh leaves of thistle are applied to cuts, boils, bedsores, and bleeding wounds, which not only speeds up the wound healing process, but also eliminates the risk of inflammation.
In addition, sow thistle has a sugar-lowering effect, making it recommended for use by people suffering from diabetes.
Sow thistle pink
Pink sow thistle (this plant is often called field thistle) is a variety of thistle field. It received its name for the presence of pink (sometimes lilac-pink) flowers collected in a corymbose-paniculate inflorescence. This perennial, reaching a height of no more than 120 cm, has a powerful root system consisting of a long taproot and lateral roots.
The stem of the plant is erect and branched.
The oblong, spiny leaves, growing alternately, are rigid.
The fruits of pink sow thistle are oblong achenes with a fly consisting of feathery hairs.
This type of thistle grows in the European part of Russia, preferring fields, pastures, wastelands and roadside areas. This sow thistle is also demanding on the soil, which must be fertile and provided with mineral nitrogen.
Preparations based on rose thistle have bactericidal, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and diaphoretic properties.
Like yellow sow thistle, this species is an excellent honey plant, producing up to 140 kg of useful honey from just 1 hectare.
Pink sow thistle is used in folk medicine in a similar way to the two above-mentioned types of this plant. Thus, infusions and decoctions of rose thistle improve metabolic processes, having a beneficial effect on neuroses, as well as headaches of various origins.
Interesting fact! Sow thistle (both field and garden) is used not only in medicine, but also in cooking. For example, salads, sauces, soups and gravies are prepared from young leaves, as well as stems of the plant. As a seasoning, dried sow thistle is added to meat and fish dishes. The fact is that sow thistle has a bitter taste, giving dishes a peculiar spiciness (although the presence of thorns located on the leaves makes it difficult to process the plant).
To remove the bitterness present in the plant, sow thistle leaves are soaked for half an hour in 10 percent salt water. aqueous solution, after which the leaves are crushed and added to salads. The bitterness will disappear almost completely even if the sow thistle stem is rubbed a little in your hands (for this reason, the above-ground part of the plant, used for preparing first courses, is not soaked). If you want to prepare such an original “seasoning” for future use, then first the stems and leaves are soaked, and then dried and ground into powder.
In fairness, I would like to note that today the technology for preparing dishes from sow thistle has been little studied, as has nutritional value this plant, although our ancestors often used it in cooking.
Composition and properties of thistle
On at the moment chemical composition Thistle has not been fully studied, but it is reliably known that this plant contains the following substances:- carotene;
- bitterness;
- fixed oils;
- inulin;
- choline;
- tartaric acid.
Action: - stimulates the process of hematopoiesis;
- normalizes the functions of the nervous system;
- stimulates the functioning of the endocrine glands;
- strengthens blood vessels;
- displays free radicals;
- ensures the growth and development of connective tissue;
- strengthens the immune system;
- accelerates the wound healing process;
- activates mental and physical activity;
- prevents the aging process.
Action:
- stimulates the immune system;
- removes free radicals, which reduces the risk of developing cancer;
- provides oxidative and reduction processes;
- normalizes protein synthesis;
- regulates metabolism;
- ensures the formation of bones and teeth;
- slows down the aging process.
Action:
- increase appetite;
- normalize digestion;
- calm down nervous system;
- strengthen the immune system.
Action:
- provide the body with energy;
- normalize metabolic processes;
- regenerate tissues and cells of the body;
- relieve inflammation;
- accelerate wound healing;
- neutralize the negative effects of carcinogens.
Action:
- stop bleeding;
- eliminate pain syndrome;
- normalize the functions of the central nervous system;
- strengthen blood vessels;
- prevent tumor growth;
- reduce blood pressure;
- lower body temperature.
Action:
- promotes the absorption of vitamins and minerals, ensuring the full functioning of the whole body;
- regulates lipid metabolism;
- increases immunity;
- normalizes intestinal microflora;
- regulates the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
- reduces blood sugar concentration.
Action: - promotes fat absorption;
- normalizes liver and gall functions;
- reduces blood cholesterol levels;
- stimulates cardiac activity;
- strengthens the nervous system;
- stimulates intestinal smooth muscles;
- prevents premature aging.
Action:
- promotes weight loss because it has diuretic and laxative effects;
- relieves heartburn;
- relieves hangover;
- relieves the feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
Properties of thistle
- Hemostatic.
- Anti-inflammatory.
- Choleretic.
- Antihelminthic.
- General strengthening.
- Tonic.
- Calming.
- Diuretic.
- Laxative.
- Wound healing.
- Sweatshop.
- Bactericidal.
- Painkiller.
Treatment using thistle
The effect of sow thistle preparations on the body:1. Improved metabolism.
2. Enriching the body with vitamins.
3. Elimination of inflammatory processes.
4. Acceleration of wound healing.
5. Low blood sugar.
6. Toning the body.
7. Stimulation of hematopoiesis.
8. Promoting the removal of worms.
9. Normalization of the menstrual cycle.
10. Normalization of the central nervous system.
11. Strengthening blood vessels.
Grass
The aerial part of thistle is used as a tonic, anti-fever, cooling, anti-inflammatory and thirst quencher in the treatment of sore throat and inflammation. internal organs, chest pain, hemorrhoids and jaundice. In addition, poultices prepared from fresh herbs help speed up the treatment of bruises, as well as painful post-traumatic lumps. Crushed fresh leaves of thistle help stop bleeding, for which it is enough to apply them to bleeding wounds.
Young leaves of thistle are used to make salads and soups.
Roots
Preparations based on sow thistle roots are used as an effective hemostatic and tonic agent. Also, sow thistle roots are used in folk medicine for nephritis. Interesting fact! Boiled sow thistle roots taste like Jerusalem artichoke, so the underground part of the plant can be used in preparing salads.
Thistle juice
The thick liquid that appears on the fracture of thistle leaves deserves special attention. This “milky” juice is used to remove warts. In addition, sow thistle juice is an excellent diuretic, as well as an antidote used for opium poisoning.The juice of the plant mixed with egg yolk is used in the treatment of breast cancer.
Application of thistle
Decoction
Taking a decoction of thistle herb helps relieve inflammation and stop pulmonary bleeding.To prepare the product: 1 tbsp. leaves and shoots of the plant should be poured with 200 ml of water and boiled for three minutes. The cooled and strained broth is drunk per day in three to four doses.
This decoction will help cope with colds, liver colic and pain in the gallbladder.
Externally, the decoction can be used as compresses in the treatment of ulcers and difficult-to-heal wounds.
Infusion
This form of application of sow thistle calms the nervous system, relieves headache, improves metabolism and strengthens the body as a whole.1 tbsp. sow thistle herbs are poured with a glass of boiling water and left for one hour. Next, the strained product is drunk one tablespoon four times a day.
Externally, the same infusion is used as a rinse for
A prickly plant with yellow flowers, thickets of which are found along river banks, in forest clearings and fields, is well known to all gardeners and gardeners. Most people perceive it as a weed that needs to be gotten rid of quickly.
However, this plant has many advantages. Any beekeeper will confirm that thistle honey is one of the best, traditional medicine has long been used medicinal properties“weed”, and folk culinary traditions contain recipes for interesting and healthy (especially after winter) dishes. Field sow thistle can be useful to everyone, but for correct use you need to know its beneficial properties.
Did you know? In Europe, there were ideas about thistle as a miracle plant which has supernatural properties. It was believed that bathing a patient in its decoction could heal almost any disease. In Poland they believed that sow thistle protects against the evil eye or witchcraft and relieves fear. East Slavic folk traditions associated sow thistle with evil spirits. Thus, a legend has been preserved according to which, when God endowed people with useful plants, Satan demanded something for himself for his help in creation. God gave him oats, but the apostles Paul and Peter did not want to deprive people of such useful plant and they arranged it so that Satan would forget the name “oats” and “remember” sow thistle. And now evil spirits sows sow thistle among wheat and rye, scatters its seeds throughout the gardens and orchards.
Sow: description
Thistle (lat. Sónchus)- a group of herbaceous annual and perennial plants that belong to the Asteraceae family. The genus thistle includes more than 70 plant species. 
Their common generic features are:
- 0.5-1.8 m - height;
- vertical root, which lies up to 4 m deep, and horizontal roots located in upper layers soils up to 50 cm, form a dense root system;
- erect stem, slightly spiny, with a woody base. The stems are branched, glabrous or with a glandular edge of spiny hairs;
- leaves with spiny-toothed green edges vary in shape - pinnate, lobed, dissected, etc.;
- in June they bloom with small-tongued, yolk-colored flowers (they grow in baskets with a wrapper at the base). Flowering ends in October;
- seeds (6500 in one plant) with a tuft of fine hairs, easily transported by the wind, and do not have a dormant period.
Thistle has become widespread in Eurasia (and has also been introduced to North America and Australia).
Most often in middle lane meet:
- field sow thistle (S. Arvensis), yellow, euphorbia- description appearance basically coincides with the general generic one. Of the features - perennial up to 1.8 m high. Inner side The leaves are dull, the outer ones are dark and shiny, the leaves are prickly, rough, with jagged edges. Developed tap and lateral roots with a large number of buds. The flowers are golden yellow in color and bloom in multi-flowered baskets in June-October. Field thistle has the most pronounced medicinal properties;
Important!-root sucker plant (reproduces primarily by root suckers). When weeding, the remaining pieces of roots (at least 3 cm) in the soil give life to new plants. Reproduction also occurs by seeds, which can be in the ground and wait for a favorable moment for up to 20 years. Thanks to its vertical roots, the plant has access to deep-lying minerals. Ground part of thistle-valuable mulch, thanks to which garden plants receive nutrients.
- Sow thistle (S. Oleraceus), or hare's lettuce, milkweed, tragus etc., grows up to 1 m (annual plant). The stem is burgundy, bare and hollow, more branched. The leaves are rich green, long, juicy and soft. The shape of the upper and lower leaves differs: the first ones have antennae, the second ones are lyre-shaped. It blooms from July to September with yellow flowers in a panicle (peduncles have spines). Young stems and leaves are edible.
Chemical composition of thistle
Sow thistle is of no industrial interest either for livestock farming as fodder or for official medicine as a medicinal plant. Special scientific research sow thistles were not carried out.
However, scientists have identified a number useful elements in thistle:
- ascorbic acid, alkaloids, carotene (most of them are found in the above-ground parts of the plant);
- fatty oils, saponin, tartaric, oxalic, lactic, malic and other acids, tannins (stem, leaves);
- choline, inulin (most in the roots);
- mild narcotic compounds (in leaves, stems, flowers);
- rubber (in juice), etc.
Thanks to these substances, sow thistle is of interest for traditional medicine.
Important! It is necessary to harvest sow thistle during its flowering period. Leaves and shoots are to be collected at this time. Dry collected material should not be in the sun, in one layer, on a canvas or mesh (so that there is an influx of fresh air). The resulting raw materials are stored in paper bags for one year. The roots are harvested in September-October. The rhizomes removed from the ground must be washed, cut into small pieces and dried (in a shaded place). The roots should be stored for two years.
Why sow thistle is useful: medicinal properties for the human body
Man has long adapted to finding more or less beneficial properties of surrounding plants and using them. Thistle is no exception, especially since this plant contains truly healing substances (recipes for potions from thistle are presented in ancient Chinese medicinal treatises). 
Benefits of leaves and stems
Thistle grass (primarily stems and leaves) exhibits its medicinal properties due to the presence of vitamins, alkaloids, choline and other beneficial substances.
These properties include:
- diuretic and laxative;
- diaphoretic;
- bactericidal;
- pain reliever;
- anti-inflammatory;
- anthelmintic;
- relieving hangover and heartburn;
- normalization of liver function and intestinal microflora;
- cholesterol reduction;
- stimulation of the activity of the heart and blood vessels;
- beneficial effect on the intestines;
- decreased blood pressure;
- wound healing;
- removal of free radicals from the body;
- stimulation of hematopoiesis, etc.
Simply vitamin tonic tea made from stems and leaves is very useful ( 1 tbsp. spoon into a glass of boiling water, brew for 20 minutes. Drink on an empty stomach in the mornings and evenings).
Young leaves of field sow thistle, crushed into pulp, are used as a hemostatic and healing agent - applied to the wound (a slight burning sensation will be felt). The drug lasts for two hours, after which it needs to be replaced with a new one.
Why is the underground part of thistle useful?
Due to the high content of inulin, choline and alkaloids, sow thistle rhizomes help in the treatment of inflammatory processes in the kidneys, bone tuberculosis, and diarrhea. The high hemostatic and immunostimulating properties of thistle roots are used for cancer.
Did you know? Boiled sow thistle roots taste qualities comparable to an earthen pear (jerusalem). In cooking, they are used in the preparation of salads.
The use of sow thistle in folk medicine
Garden and field sow thistle have similar medicinal properties. This was noticed by the people, and both plants have long been used in folk healing. However, it should be recalled that before using traditional medicine methods, it is advisable to consult with your doctor.
Thistle juice
Thistle juice is white in color, viscous consistency - “milky” juice - is a means for external treatment:
- warts (lubricate with fresh juice);
- carbuncles, abscesses, pimples;
- bleeding wounds (including snake bites).
Thistle decoction
Decoctions are made from all parts of the plant. Yellow field sow thistle is especially valued for decoctions - the treatment is more effective and the medicinal properties are more pronounced. Decoctions of leaves and stems help with inflammation, stop bleeding in the lungs, and relieve pain in the liver.
For the decoction you need 1 tbsp. Boil a spoonful of sow thistle in 200 ml of water and cook for 3 minutes. Drink in three doses throughout the day. The decoction is used to heal ulcerative wounds (compresses are applied).
To reduce hemorrhoidal manifestations, the decoction is added to sitz baths (4-5 tablespoons of dried thistle per liter of water, boil for 5 minutes. Take baths for 15 minutes three times a week).
A decoction of the roots serves as a remedy for jade (1 tablespoon of finely chopped root, pour 500 ml of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes). Drink a tablespoon three times a day. The medicine should be taken for 14 to 60 days (the timing depends on the body’s reaction and the stage of the disease).
Thistle infusion
Helps with headaches, nervous disorders, for liver diseases, has a general strengthening effect.
For infusion, you need a tablespoon of dried thistle per glass of water. Pour boiling water over the raw material, close tightly and leave for an hour. Drink one tablespoon 4 times a day (from 45 to 90 days). Rinsing with thistle infusion helps with periodontal disease. 
Tincture of thistle with alcohol
An effective remedy for diabetes, cancer, bone tuberculosis, and hepatitis is a tincture of thistle in alcohol. The tincture requires finely chopped sow thistle root and alcohol (from 40 to 80 degrees). It is necessary to fill the roots with alcohol (1x1), place in a dark place for 21 days (sometimes you need to shake). Keep refrigerated.
The tincture should be taken according to a special system: on the first day - three times two drops, the next day - three drops, then reduce to two drops, etc.
For sensorimotor disorders (restless legs syndrome), it is recommended as an effective and long-acting remedy. vodka tincture sow thistle flowers. Pour vodka into a glass container with flowers and leave for 21 days in a dark place. No need to strain. The tincture should be used to wipe your feet at night (attacks usually occur at night).
Application of honey from thistle
Thistle honey is highly valued for its flavor and medicinal properties. When collected, the honey is transparent with a yellowish or greenish tint and a light floral aroma. Crystallization occurs after six months - it turns into a soft paste of white or caramel color. The taste is rich, with a delicate aftertaste. Energy value - 304 kcal. The collection period is long - from July to October. From 1 hectare, bees collect an average of 120-140 kg of nectar per season. 
This honey is especially useful for colds, recovery after illnesses and operations. Increases endurance and mental alertness. Due to its strong antiseptic effect, it is used in the treatment of peptic ulcers, boils, and wounds. Recommended for children and the elderly to strengthen the immune system. Tea with thistle honey stimulates lactation in breastfeeding women. Its regular use is recommended for nervous exhaustion and permanent stressful situations.
Unfortunately, the chemical composition of thistle has not been studied well enough, but it is known that this weed contains quite a lot of vitamin C and some other useful substances. IN fresh leaves contains ascorbic acid, carotene, and traces of alkaloids. The plant also contains tannins and rubber in small quantities. Narcotic substances are present in minimal concentrations in the stems, flowers and leaves.
The above-ground part of the plant is used for medicinal purposes. Plant materials are collected during flowering and dried in well-ventilated areas without direct hit sun rays.
Thistle is a good honey plant. Bees willingly visit various types plants, collecting up to 110 kg of nectar per season from one hectare of thickets. Thistle honey is quite tasty, with a subtle delicate aroma, and light yellow in color. It is often used to feed bees in winter.
Application of thistle
In medicine, the aerial part of the plant is used to prepare drugs that have hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, choleretic and lactogenic effects. Modern research has shown that an extract from it has an anxiolytic (“anti-anxiety”) effect, that is, the plant can be used for diseases of the central nervous system.
In folk medicine, it is recommended for the treatment of vascular diseases and as an anthelmintic. Herbal decoctions and infusions help with headaches, have a beneficial effect on neuroses, and improve metabolism. They are used as a general tonic. To treat painful lumps after injuries and bruises, poultices made from fresh grass are effective; its juice removes warts.
Thistle preparations are used to treat fever, jaundice, and inflammatory liver diseases. It is a good antidote for opium poisoning. In addition, young leaves of the plant can be added to salads when dietary nutrition.
Types of thistle
It is known that there are about 80 plant species, mostly wild, annual or perennial weeds, only a few of them are subshrubs. You can recognize the plant by prickly leaves.
Field sow thistle. This species is one of the hardest field weeds. Grass infests almost all types of crops and is also found in gardens and vegetable gardens. The field sow thistle reaches a height of 170 cm, its main tap root goes 4 meters into the soil, horizontal lateral roots are up to 1 meter long. The stem of the plant contains white milky sap. Yellow flowers collected in paniculate inflorescences, the fruits are ovoid capsules. The flowering period of the plant is from June to September.
Grows this type in the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, the Far East, Eastern and Western Siberia, Central Asia and Crimea. It can be found in wastelands, along river banks, in ravines, gardens and orchards. The plant is a good honey plant and has been considered medicinal since ancient times. It is used to treat vascular diseases; its decoctions and infusions have a beneficial effect on headaches and neuroses. The grass and leaves are used in dietary nutrition.
Sow thistle. This is an annual herb that is also a noxious weed. A branched stem up to 1 meter in height is overgrown with large triangular leaves with sharp edges. The yellow flowers are in baskets, the fruits are brown achenes with a white tuft. This weed grows in the European part of Russia, in the Far East, in Siberia, and is found mainly in gardens and vegetable gardens, sometimes in fields. In folk medicine, the herb of the plant is used; it is harvested during the flowering period.
Thistle is pink. This is perennial herbaceous plant up to one meter tall - a malicious weed. It has a powerful root system, consisting of a rather long taproot and lateral roots. The stem is erect, branched, the leaves are rather hard, oblong, and grow alternately. Flowers of a pinkish hue are collected in corymbose-paniculate inflorescences, unisexual. The fruits are oblong achenes with a plume of feathery hairs. This species blooms from June to late autumn.
The plant reproduces by seeds and vegetatively. The distribution area is the European part of Russia. Pink thistle grows in fields, pastures, vacant lots, and near roads. He prefers soil that is deeply cultivated, fertile, and provided with mineral nitrogen. The fluff of the plant was previously used for stuffing animals. In folk medicine, sow thistle preparations are prescribed as a bactericidal, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and diaphoretic agent.
Thistle is yellow. It is a perennial weed with a bare, hollow stem covered in spiky, toothed, grey-green leaves. The long horizontal stem of the plant goes to a depth of 20–30 cm. Golden-yellow flowers are located in baskets. The fruits are achenes with white flakes. This species blooms from June to September, bears fruit in July-October, and reproduces by roots and seeds. Yellow thistle is widespread everywhere.
In folk medicine, the plant is used as a general strengthening, tonic and vitamin remedy. Dosage forms used to treat jaundice, inflammatory processes of the stomach, intestines, and lungs. Fresh and steamed herbs are prescribed for chronic gastroenteritis and sore throat. The roots of the plant are effective against nephritis. This weed is also useful for osteoarticular tuberculosis and fevers.
Reproduction of thistle
The grass reproduces by seeds and vegetatively. Each flower contains up to 6,500 seeds, which are dispersed by the wind and germinate without a dormant period. Even a small piece of the stem can produce a root, which makes the plant a dangerous weed. Weeding can help control thistle, but should be done every two weeks to exhaust the root system. In the spring, before the roots go deep into the soil, the weed is pulled out.
In the fall, if the ground is heavily clogged with seeds, non-moldboard cultivation is used, with the seeds remaining on top of the soil. Thus, sprouted weeds will be destroyed by frost or the first tillage. Seeds located at a sufficient depth remain viable for up to 20 years or more.
Contraindications to the use of thistle
Herbal preparations are contraindicated for use during pregnancy and lactation. Some people may experience individual intolerance and hypersensitivity to the substances that make up the plant. Thistle is poisonous, so before using preparations made from it, you should consult your doctor and follow all precautions.