Cirsium vulgare

Κίρσιο το κοινό

Etymology of Cirsium vulgare: The name of the genus, "Cirsium" is derived from the Ancient Greek word "κιρσός" [kirsos], meaning ''varicose veins'', which reveals an ancestral usage of the plant as an alleged remedy against the swollen veins. The species epithet, "vulgare", is from the Latin meaning ''common'', and refers to the plant being the most common of the species.

There are two Cirsium species/kinds in the wild Cypriot nature.

Cirsium vulgare is a rare plant in Cypriot nature. It is an indigenous but non-endemic plant that grows on the Troodos Mountains range and the surrounding mountains, up to the absolute top (mount Olympus). It is a biennial and spiny plant, growing up to 1,5 metres tall. It primarily grows on wasteland. Its flowering period is between July and October.