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Sow Thistles

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Crowan
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(@crowan)
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I’m not sure if this is the right place, since I’m thinking ‘salads’ rather than ‘medicine’, but does anyone know if Blue Sow-Thistle (Cicerbita macrophylla) can be used in the same way as Sow-Thistle (Sonchus of various types)?

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CarolineN
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I’m not sure if this is the right place, since I’m thinking ‘salads’ rather than ‘medicine’, but does anyone know if Blue Sow-Thistle (Cicerbita macrophylla) can be used in the same way as Sow-Thistle (Sonchus of various types)?

Perhaps the person to ask is a Medical Herbalist? I have found both plants mentioned in my books but none suggest palatability for either variety. [url]Richard Mabey's Food for Free[/url] may be helpful too. We used to pick the Smooth Sow Thistle to feed to the rabbit when the children were small.

Chickweed (Sellaria media) is good in salads - it tastes a bit like unripe maize and makes a delicious addition to salad leaves. I was intrigued when I read somewhere that it is popular in Russia where they were paying a cosiderable amount for it - and we consider it a weed in this country! But there are other 'weeds' which have been used by people in the past - now long forgotten.

Let us know if you find anything out Crowan.

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