Milk Thistle

What Milk Thistle is

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) is an annual herb of the Daisy family (Asteraceae). Milk thistle is an annual or winter annual plant native to the Mediterranean. This is a striking plant that grows from 100 to 200 cm tall with large, smooth, glossy green leaves edged with sharp spines and painted with creamy white veins.

The leaves contain silymarin, the active ingredient also found in the seeds, and are edible and tasty. First remove the spines by carefully peeling or cutting off the outer edge, then add to salads.

Milk thistle seeds have long been known for their powerful regenerative effect on the liver.

The seeds are also known to have antioxidant, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties.

Milk thistle is a medicinal plant whose seeds are used to support the liver.

Key features

• Measured germination rate of the batch: 96%
• Pack size: 2 g
• Seed origin: Poland
• Sowing: February and March; direct
• Flowering: June – August
• Harvest: August and September
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow Milk Thistle

Milk Thistle seeds are sown in February and March. The plants flower in June – August. Harvest in August and September. The months are a guide for a temperate climate — in warmer areas sow 1–2 weeks earlier, in cooler or upland areas, later.

How to sow and grow Milk Thistle

• Sowing method: direct
• Depth: 2 cm
• Spacing: 40–60 cm
• Germination: 10–14 days at 15–20 °C
• Position: sunny spot

The plant prefers moist, rich, limy soil in full sun, but will tolerate partial shade. Milk thistle does not transplant well and does poorly in pots. It is best sown directly in the soil, either in early spring for a late summer harvest, or in late summer, allowing the rosettes to overwinter (they are hardy to -15°C) and collecting the ripe seeds the following summer. Do not plant too densely, as collecting the seeds will be a painful process. Handling with gloves is recommended!

Sow directly in spring in the sun.

Harvest and use

The flower heads are picked when the seeds ripen.

Frequently asked questions

When should Milk Thistle be sown?

The recommended sowing months are February and March. Sowing method: direct.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 96%. The test was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions; in the field, emergence depends on soil, temperature and moisture.