Once used as a vegetable, roots, leaves, stems and flower buds used for salads, artichoke and spinach substitute, stema used young raw or cooked used like rhubarb or asparagus. Seed roasted for a coffee substitute. Sow early spring (for annual) in situ or summer to autumn and it will flower following year. Position in full sun. Biennial Silybum marianum - Blessed Milk-Thistle, Kanger, Thistle Lady's
Ornamental herb or Wild Flower. Bee plant.