Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)
Regular price $19.95LIMITED RELEASE: Powerful Liver Support Herb with Bold Beauty and Pollinator Appeal
Milk Thistle is a striking medicinal plant known for its dramatic spiny foliage, vibrant purple flowers, and potent herbal properties—especially for supporting liver health and detoxification. Native to the Mediterranean and naturalized across the world, Milk Thistle has been used for centuries in herbal traditions to protect and regenerate liver tissue, support digestion, and ease inflammation.
This bold, thistle-like herb features mottled white-and-green leaves (said to resemble milk splashes) and towers up to 3–5 feet tall when in bloom. The nectar-rich flowers attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial pollinators, making Milk Thistle both medicinal and ecological. The plant is most often harvested for its seeds, which contain silymarin, a powerful compound used in herbal supplements and teas.
Milk Thistle is incredibly resilient, thriving in full sun, dry conditions, and poor soils. It’s an annual to biennial that often self-seeds easily, making it a reliable addition to wildlife gardens, permaculture systems, and herbal landscapes.
| Scientific Name | Silybum marianum |
|---|---|
| Common Names | Milk Thistle, St. Mary’s Thistle |
| Family | Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) |
| Origin | Mediterranean region |
| Plant Type | Flowering Medicinal Herb |
| Life Cycle | Annual to Biennial |
| Food Forest Layer | Herb / Tall Groundcover Layer |
| Mature Size | 3–5 ft tall, 2–4 ft wide |
| Light | Full Sun |
| Water Needs | Low; drought-tolerant once established |
| Harvest Season | Summer to Early Fall (seeds) |
| Time to Harvest | 90–120 days from seed |
| Self-Fertile | Yes |
| Growth Rate | Moderate to Fast |
| Zones | USDA Zones 5–11 |
| Florida Native | No |
| Propagation | Seeds |
| Seasonal Characteristics | Annual or biennial; self-seeds readily, frost-sensitive |
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