Meet the plants: thistle
Cirsium spp.
Healing begins where the wound was made.
-Alice Walker
Because of its spiny exterior, thistle has long been seen as a plant of ill repute; Shakespeare classes “rough Thistles” with “hateful Docks.” In the Book of Genesis the thistle represents the primeval curse on the Earth and on man. If thistle are cut before the blossom opens in an attempt to get rid of them, many more will grow from the root stem. If you cut after the blossoms are pollinated, the plant will bleed to death (gross). You will definitely want good gloves to protect yourself from its long spiny flower heads during harvest. Thistle is high in potassium, liver-supportive, and tasty to eat (plants which have protective exteriors tend not to be bitter on the inside). Don’t be intimidated by this plant!
In agriculture, the thistle can be a useful soil barometer, as it’s presence signifies that the land is fertile, and in many instances, ready for planting.
The thistle is good for protection and a symbol of strength and courage in the face of adversity. It has hermaphroditic flowers, so male and female aspects are combined. Perhaps this accounts for why men who carry this magic herb are supposed to be better lovers. Blessed thistle is used in Benedictine liqueur and bitters. The leaves also make an anti-cholesterol tea. The roots, which can grow 6 feet long, are thick, tender, and can be cooked like parsnips. The dried flowers can be used to curdle milk and make cheese. Some species of thistle that are regarded as major weeds have commercial benefit and are used in cheesemaking, vegetable-seed oil, and pharmaceutical compounds such as Silibinin (used to treat liver damage.) Pliny and other medieval writers thought it could return hair to bald heads and it was believed to be a remedy for headaches, plague, canker sores, vertigo, and jaundice.
milk thistle from Solitary Gardens and our thistle social justice seed packet
Thistle reminds us to have courage in the face of adversity. Thistle leaves produce a cholesterol-lowering tea and their milky juices are high in potassium. Its armored exterior guards a sweet and healing interior.
Where in your life is there an uninviting path to cross? Is there something that scares you and requires courage to confront? Is there possibility to see beyond the prickly exterior of an intimidating situation?
Like the thistle, could you begin to see this daunting opportunity as medicine rather than threat? Is there something you can heal through a relationship you might fear?
How does thistle remind us of practicing abolition? Can the things that we don’t know or understand just yet, or the things we fear be a source of evolution or healing?