Products with Blessed Thistle

Spiny exterior hides the secret medicinal properties inside. Good use of camouflage if you’re a spiny plant.

Blessed Thistle is native to the Mediterranean and is a member of the Aster family. It was often grown in the gardens of monks, and was used to make bitter tonics and liqueurs. Other names for Blessed Thistle include holy thistle, St. Benedict's thistle, and spotted thistle.

There are many different kinds of thistles. You may think that they look similar but Blessed thistle can still be identified by its own unique features. It has the characteristic hairy stems and spiny-edged leaves but it also produces bright yellow flowers surrounded by specialized leaves meant to attract pollinators.

Why is it called Blessed thistle? It was grown in monastery gardens throughout Europe, near holy sites and graves to ward off evil. “Blessed” or “holy” refers to the belief that the plant was a gift from a higher power.