Photo by Jess Cole.
Louisiana Thistle
The beauty and ecological value of this native “weed” simply cannot be denied. There seems to be very few spaces in our region in which it won't thrive—from pasture, to roadside, to dry swamp floor. Louisiana thistle is a pollinator powerhouse, offering early spring nectar when other flowers have yet to bloom, as well as hosting native caterpillar species. The tender new shoots of thistle are edible, and hold a culinary history as “Cajun celery,” to be eaten raw or cooked once the tough and spiny outer layer is peeled. Personally, I enjoy them best in a raw vinegary salad. Each spring, I look forward to stands of thistle and butterweed scattered amongst mass stands of palmettos at some of my favorite swampy haunts.
[Read this next: "February Plant Spotlight: Viburnum dentatum, Arrowwood Viburnum"]
