Cynara Cardunculus Spp.
Thistle belongs to the Family of Asteraceae and grows in rocky places, and can be found in the wild or cultivated form (in Portugal, it is part of the regional flora of serra da Estrela).
Thistle flower is one of the three essential ingredients for making Queijo da Serra, along with milk and salt. It is also used in the manufacture of other cheeses such as Azeitão Cheese and Flor de Guía Cheese (natural from Spanish Canary Islands).
It prefers well-drained, deep, fertile soils and rich in organic matter. Thistle grows well in most soil types and is quite tolerant of soil pH.
Irrigate in order to keep the soil moist in the seasons in which there is growth of the plant, but without it remaining drenched. The plant is, however, resistant to drought when it is already well developed.
Thistle derives from the Latin cardùus, which means "to sign with the head", alluding to the flower of ovoid form supported by the oscillating stem.
It is used as a coagulant in the production of various cheeses (Serra da Estrela Cheese, Quejo Azeitão and Flor de Guía Cheese).
The main application of thistle-mariano is in the treatment of liver changes, this due to one of its constituents, Silymarin. This substance acts directly on liver cells that are injured due to excess toxic substances, such as alcohol, regenerating them and preventing new lesions. Thus, thistle can be used to aid the treatment of cirrhosis, hepatitis or fat in the liver, for example.
Cardo has several therapeutic properties such as antiseptic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, tonic, regenerative, depurative and digestive.
