Common golden thistle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Common golden thistle |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Scolymus
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| Species: |
hispanicus
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The Scolymus hispanicus, also known as the common golden thistle or Spanish oyster thistle, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the Scolymus genus in the Asteraceae family, which includes many daisy-like plants. This plant naturally grows in southern and western Europe, reaching as far north as northwestern France.
This plant is a herbaceous plant, meaning it has soft, green stems rather than woody ones. It can be a biennial plant, living for two years, or a short-lived perennial plant, living for more than two years. It can grow up to 80 centimeters (about 31 inches) tall. Its stems and leaves are covered in spines, which help protect it. The flowerheads are a bright yellow to orange-yellow color and are usually 2 to 3 centimeters (about 1 inch) wide.
Contents
What is the Spanish Oyster Thistle Used For?
People have used the Spanish oyster thistle for a very long time, both for cooking and for medicine. Ancient Greek thinkers like Theophrastus knew about its uses. Even though it has sometimes been grown on farms, most of the plant eaten today is still gathered from the wild.
Culinary Uses of Golden Thistle
The Spanish oyster thistle is very popular in almost every part of Spain. People often eat it in stews during the spring. It is also used in fresh salads and warm soups. In areas like Extremadura and Andalusia in Spain, it's called tagarnina and is often served with scrambled eggs.
Centuries ago, in the 1500s, people in Salamanca, Spain, would wash the young plants and eat them with their roots. They ate them either raw or cooked in stews with meat.
Golden Thistle in Italy
In some parts of southern Italy, the leaves of this plant are collected only during Holy Week. After gathering, they are used to bake a special meat pie that is eaten on Easter day. This shows how different cultures have found unique ways to use this interesting plant.
Gallery
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Scolymus hispanicus inflorescence
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inflorescence yellow flower
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Spanish oyster flower
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Scrambled eggs with Spanish oyster and bread
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Spanish oyster harvested for cooking
See also
In Spanish: Tagarnina para niños
