Which Thistles Are Edible?
I often take photos of wildflowers and birds while hiking through the East Bay Regional Parks in California. Along the trails, I regularly come across wild thistles. You’re better off just walking past these thorny weeds as their generally not edible. But some thistles, like artichokes, have been eaten for centuries. They just require a little bit of knowledge, some skill, and a willingness to deal with the spines. In other words, they’re kind of life.
Below is a quick guide to a few edible thistles, along with a warning: don’t eat any wild thistle unless you’re absolutely sure it’s edible. Several species are mildly toxic or unpleasant to eat, and, if you’re not careful, the spines can cause injury.
Edible Thistles Worth Knowing
1. Artichoke (Cynara scolymus)
The most famous edible thistle is the globe artichoke. Its tough outer leaves soften when steamed or roasted, and the heart is widely considered a delicacy. Because it’s cultivated, it’s also the safest and easiest thistle to enjoy. You can find them raw in most grocery stores year round. Look for the marinated kind in a jar—they’re the best. They tend to be sweeter in the spring and leathery in the winter.
2. Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus)
You can eat the stalks of the cardoon which is a close cousin of the artichoke. The stalks resemble celery but require trimming and long cooking to become tender. Cardoons are a traditional ingredient in some Mediterranean winter dishes. If you want to try cooking cardoon, look for a traditional Italian recipe like those at La Cucina Italiana.
3. Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
Surprisingly, this extremely prickly plant is edible in parts. The peeled stems and roots can be cooked and eaten, although the yield is small and the process is tedious. And although I’ve read that they’re edible, I’ve never actually tried them—and honestly, they may not be worth your time.
4. Other Cirsium species
Some native thistles in the Cirsium genus are edible when young, especially the stems and roots. These require precise identification and careful handling. Lots of people won’t forage them because the prep work is a pain in the butt. I’d skip it.
This brightly colored wild thistle adds unexpected color to the landscape, but it’s better seen than eaten.
Thistles to Avoid
Not every thistle-like plant is actually a true thistle, and several plants which look like thistles can cause digestive distress. Even within the thistle family, certain species are extremely bitter or fibrous or just aren’t worth eating.
Skip milk thistle (Silybum marianum). It’s safe as a manufactured herbal supplement, but people don’t really eat it.
And seriously—if you can’t identify a thistle with absolute confidence, don’t eat it. When in doubt, leave it out.
What Thistles Teach Us
Thistles remind us that beauty and sweetness can hide behind what’s tough and thorny. They’re plants that ask for time, attention, and a willingness to work through what’s hard. That’s the spirit behind my book Edible Thistles. It gathers stories, poems, and essays that explore a world that is both tough and sweet. It rewards any reader who pauses long enough to savor its contents. Life can be thorny. But once we learn how to prepare what it gives us, we often find that something sweet waits for us at the center.
