Milk Thistle (Shook al-Jamal)
Silybum marianum
About Milk Thistle (Shook al-Jamal)
Milk Thistle (Shook al-Jamal) (Silybum marianum) is a herb used in the Sufi & Islamic Mystical Medicine tradition to help with Liver Support, Detox, Digestive Issues, and Cholesterol, among 1 other condition it addresses. The seeds are the part traditionally used, taken internally.
Botanical background
Silybum marianum has other common names include cardus marianus, milk thistle, blessed milkthistle, Marian thistle, Mary thistle, Saint Mary's thistle, Mediterranean milk thistle, variegated thistle and Scotch thistle. This species is an annual or biennial plant of the Asteraceae family. This fairly typical thistle has red to purple flowers and shiny pale green leaves with white veins. Originally a native of Southern Europe through to Asia, it is now found throughout the world.
Source: Wikipedia, via iNaturalist