Line 6: |
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| |name_ref=Wikipedia | | |name_ref=Wikipedia |
| |habit=herbaceous | | |habit=herbaceous |
| + | |habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia |
| |Min ht box=40 | | |Min ht box=40 |
| |Min ht metric=cm | | |Min ht metric=cm |
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| |Max ht metric=cm | | |Max ht metric=cm |
| |height_ref=Wikipedia | | |height_ref=Wikipedia |
| + | |Max wd box=60 |
| + | |Max wd metric=cm |
| + | |width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia |
| |poisonous=to some animals | | |poisonous=to some animals |
| |lifespan=annual, biennial | | |lifespan=annual, biennial |
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| |water_ref=Plants for a Future | | |water_ref=Plants for a Future |
| |features=evergreen, flowers, naturalizes, invasive | | |features=evergreen, flowers, naturalizes, invasive |
− | |flower_season=early summer, mid summer, late summer, early fall | + | |flower_season=early spring, mid spring, late spring, early summer, mid summer, late summer |
| + | |flower_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia |
| + | |flowers=blue, purple |
| |Temp Metric=°F | | |Temp Metric=°F |
| |min_zone=7 | | |min_zone=7 |
| |usda_ref=Plants for a future | | |usda_ref=Plants for a future |
| + | |max_zone=10 |
| |image=Milk thistle flowerhead.jpg | | |image=Milk thistle flowerhead.jpg |
| |image_width=240 | | |image_width=240 |
| |image_caption=Milk thistle | | |image_caption=Milk thistle |
| }} | | }} |
− | '''''Silybum marianum''''' is a [[milk thistle]], is an [[annual plant|annual]] or [[biennual]] plant of the [[Asteraceae]] family. This fairly typical [[thistle]] has red to purple flowers and shiny pale green leaves with white veins. Originally a native of Southern Europe through to Asia, it is now found throughout the world. The medicinal parts of the plant are the ripe seeds. | + | '''''Silybum marianum''''' is a [[milk thistle]], is an [[annual plant|annual]] or [[biennial]] plant of the [[Asteraceae]] family. This fairly typical [[thistle]] has red to purple flowers and shiny pale green leaves with white veins. Originally a native of Southern Europe through to Asia, it is now found throughout the world. The medicinal parts of the plant are the ripe seeds. |
| | | |
| [[Common name]]s for this species include '''blessed milk thistle''', '''Marian Thistle''', '''Mary Thistle''', '''St Mary's Thistle''', '''Mediterranean Milk Thistle''' and '''Variegated Thistle'''. | | [[Common name]]s for this species include '''blessed milk thistle''', '''Marian Thistle''', '''Mary Thistle''', '''St Mary's Thistle''', '''Mediterranean Milk Thistle''' and '''Variegated Thistle'''. |
| | | |
− | It grows 40 to 100 cm tall. The stem is grooved and more or less cottony. | + | It grows 40 to 100 cm tall. The stem is grooved and more or less cottony. |
| | | |
| The leaves are oblong to lanceolate. They are either wavy loved or pinnated, have spiny edges. They are hairless, shiny green, with milk white veins. | | The leaves are oblong to lanceolate. They are either wavy loved or pinnated, have spiny edges. They are hairless, shiny green, with milk white veins. |
| | | |
− | The flower heads are 4 to 5 cm long and wide, of red-purple colour. They flower from June to August. | + | The flower heads are 4 to 5 cm long and wide, of red-purple colour. They flower from June to August. |
| | | |
| The [[bract]]s are hairless, with triangular, spine-edged appendages, tipped with a stout yellow spine. | | The [[bract]]s are hairless, with triangular, spine-edged appendages, tipped with a stout yellow spine. |