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milk thistle | Plant Finder | Fill My Garden

Home/Plants/Climbers

Plants > Climbers

milk thistle

Silybum marianum

Genus: Silybum
Family: Asteraceae
Common Names: blessed Mary's thistle, blessed thistle, holy thistle, lady's thistle, leaves of Mary, Mary's thistle, Our Lady's milk thistle, Our Lady's thistle, St Mary's thistle, lady's milk [3]

About this plant

S. marianum is a robust biennial forming a rosette of large, spiny dark green leaves with prominent white veins, and with purple flower-heads with spiny bracts, in the second year

Growing Information

Height

1-1.5 Metres

Spread

0.5-1 Metres

Hardiness

Foliage

Deciduous

Growing Conditions

Sunlight

Full Sun

Soil

LoamSandy

AlkalineNeutral

Not Currently Available

This plant is not currently stocked at any garden centres on our platform.

Moisture

Well Drained

Aspect

West FacingEast Facing

Exposure

ShelteredExposed

Care Guide

Cultivation

Grow in poor to medium fertile, well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil in full sun. Protect from excess winter wet

Pruning

No regular pruning required, but flower stems may be removed to keep foliage effect

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in late spring or early summer

Pests

Generally pest free

Diseases

Generally disease free

Garden Uses

Uses

Cottage InformalLow MaintenanceCity CourtyardGround Cover

Planting Places

Outdoor

Season of Interest

SpringSummerAutumn

Size & Characteristics

Height

1-1.5 Metres

Spread

0.5-1 Metres

Habit

Climbing

Time to Full Height

Two To Five Years