Milk Thistle
Botanical Name: Silybum marianum
Family Name: Asteraceae
Plant Description: Spiny plant with striking purple flowers and white-veined leaves
Ecosystem: Roadsides, dry grasslands
Size: 1–1.5 metres
Shape: Upright, spiny-leaved
Geographical Origin: Mediterranean
Current Distribution: Europe, North America, Australia
Flower Shapes and Colours: Purple thistle-like flower heads
Seed Types and Size: Hard, dark seeds with white tufts
Uses: Liver support, detoxification
Parts Used: Seeds, leaves
Medicinal Uses: Protects and regenerates liver cells
Planetary Influences: Jupiter
Metaphysical Uses: Healing, renewal
Elemental Association: Earth