The milk thistle, of the family Asteraceae, has purple flowers and its leaves have long white ribs, clearly visible, that legend attributes to the Virgin Mary who would have dropped drops of her mother's milk, from where his name.
All is eaten in the milk thistle
If one is not allergic to the plants of the family Composées, all is eaten in the milk thistle which, like its cousin, the artichoke, is part of Asteraceae. The idea is unusual, however the flower buds of this "wild artichoke" are eaten and young and tender leaves are eaten raw or cooked in the same way as spinach or cardes; the stems, peeled, can be enjoyed as asparagus. In some countries, root is also eaten, such as salsify
