Characteristics

There are several species of thistles that grow in the Four Corners region. A few are native but several have only been introduced to North America in the last century. All of them have spiny stems, prickly leaves, and large, silky, compact flower heads. Most grow between 2 and 4 feet in height. The flowers usually range in color from purple to rose, although some species are white or yellow. Thistles are in the sunflower family.

Ethnobotany

The thistle has been used for food by some of the historic Four Corners people. Its seeds have been roasted and eaten by the Navajo, and the Southern Paiute are said to have eaten the stems after peeling them. However, itsÕ medicinal uses are more common. The Navajo consider it a Life Medicine and have used it to make eye medicines, to cure general malaise, as an emetic, and to treat smallpox and influenza. The Hopi have used the thistle as a worm remedy, to treat itching, as a laxative, and to cure colds and constipation. The Puebloan people have also used this versatile plant as a diuretic, to treat insect bites and skin boils, and as a contraceptive.

Notes

The University of Michigan-Dearborn Native American Ethnobotany Database
http://www.umd.umich.edu/cgi-bin/herb

Flowers of the Southwest Deserts by Natt N. Dodge and Jeanne R. Janish

Wild Plants and Native Peoples of the Four Corners by William W. Dunmire & Gail D. Tierney

World Book Encyclopedia

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