When you look at a thistle my first thought is can you really eat that? And the answer is yes even though it’s covered in spikes you can eat all of it from the root to the stem, leaves and flower.
I believe there are around 14 varieties in the UK and all of them are edible and easy to identify which makes it a good wild food to spot for the beginner.
As for taste the stem is said to be fresh bitter taste and the root can be slightly sweet but bland.
It can be found in meadows, fields, marshy areas as some prefer the damper ground.
