Woolly thistle (Cirsium eriophorum) Cirsium eriophorum, the woolly thistle,[2] is a herbaceous biennial species of flowering plant in the genus Cirsium of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is widespread across much of Europe. It is a large biennial plant with sharp spines on the tips of the leaves, and long, woolly hairs on much of the foliage. The flower heads are large and nearly spherical, with spines on the outside and many purple disc florets but no ray florets. The young leaves of C. eriophorum can be eaten raw, and the young stems can be peeled and eaten raw or cooked, after being soaked in water to remove their bitterness. The flowers are rich in nectar and attract bees, flies, beetles, butterflies and moths.[It typically grows in grassland, scrubland and open woodland on chalk, limestone or alkaline clay soils, including the disturbed ground caused by quarrying. Terminillo, Lazio, Italy July 2020