Korean Thistle
곤드레
- Estimated hardy to zone 6
- Full Sun to Partial Shade
- Germination Tested Not tested
Gondre is a wild Korean mountain vegetable, or san-namul (산나물). There is a robust culture of eating these seasonal, wild-foraged vegetables in Korea, and it is believed that they help to restore one's ki (energy) after winter. many of these varieties are now farmed, but some people do still forage for these special ingredients while they are in season.
Gondre is wonderfully aromatic, and is classic temple food in Korea, where it is eaten with rice. It's slightly bitter, which is just what I want to wake my body up and detox in the springtime. I boiled the young leaves briefly until they were bright green, dunked in cold water to preserve the colour, squeezed and chopped them, then served on a rice bowl alongside salmon eggs, cucumber, carrot, and topped with soy sauce and a sprinkle of seaweed. It was delicious and nourishing!
The young leaves don't have prickles and are suitable for eating, but with age the plant gets a bit prickly, so I wouldn't recommend it in a school garden or somewhere that people are likely to brush up against it often.
Korean thistle flowers all summer long, and the charming purple flowers are a favourite of bumblebees. I see the endangered Western Bumblebee feasting on these flowers often in the summer. The seeds disperse on fluff like dandelions, but I have only found them lightly self seeding near to the mother plants. Plants are about 4 feet tall when flowering.
I have these growing in an unirrigated area beside a young cherry tree. The plants do quite well but I'm sure they would appreciate more regular watering and better soil. There is some variation in leaf shape and colour in the population, so some further selection could be done.
Growing Instructions
Growing Instructions
Seed likely benefit from some cold stratification. Sow outdoors in pots in a protected area a few weeks before last frost. Transplant once seedlings are large enough to handle. Space about a foot apart.
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
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Ecologically Grown
Ecologically Grown
Seeds are grown ecologically without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers.