St Mary’s Thistle

Origin: Europe, northern Africa, western Asia

Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Carduoideae
Tribe: Cardueae
Subtribe: Carduinae
Scientific Name: Silybum marianum

Folk Names: Blessed milkthistle, cardus marinus, Mary/Marian thistle, milk thistle, Mediterranean milk thistle, our lady’s thistle, Saint Mary’s thistle, Scotch thistle, variegated thistle

Magical

Element: Earth
Day: Tuesday
Planet: Mercury
Zodiac: Virgo

Parts used: Seeds

Magical Properties: love, lust, protection, passion, communication, fidelity

Substitutions: Other thistles

Lore

The Anglo-Saxons noted that if a man wore St. Mary’s thistle around his neck, all the snakes in his presence would become enranged and begin fighting.