Milk thistle - Silybum marianum

Milk thistle is an annual plant that comes from the Asteraceae family.
In the initial stage of the growth of milk thistle, the leaves form a lush rosette. After that, a tall (about 100-160 cm) stiff shoot grows from its center, ending in the branches with inflorescences forming a basket, whose green cover scales turn into long, thick, bent thorns.
The leaves are large, spiky and wavy at the edges. They are dark green and have a silvery-white pattern.
The inflorescence consists of purple tubular flowers. The flowering of these plants starts in July and ends in August.
Finally it becomes an achene, it is matte beige turning into glossy brown, ripening in August.
Milk thistle grows in fertile, moist soils rich in humus, which are not exposed to overdrying or excessive moisture (water stagnation).
The most suitable soils for growing them are: chernozem, black earth, loess, rendzina, fluvisol as well as podzol and brown earth.
The seeds are the herbal material of milk thistle.


The HERBAR company contracts Milk Thistle (Silybum Marianum).
We are looking for people willing to sign contracts with the possibility of extension for the next years.
We offer our genetically selected seed material.
Our contracts include guaranteed prices, quantities, parameters and quality requirements as well as conditions and time of raw material delivery.
As part of contracting agreements, we provide experts’ advices in the field of agricultural engineering.
In addition, during the growing season, we inspect the milk thistle cultivation twice.
We are interested in establishing cooperation with plant producers throughout the Europe.
All interested, please contact: tel.+48 668 451 988.