Silybum marianum
Has been used for centuries as a remedy and as a nutritious plant.
The delicate purple flowers attract bees and butterflies. The striking white-marbled leaves are also very decorative. All parts of milk thistle are considered edible: the young leaves and shoots, the roots (similar in taste to parsnips), the flower heads (similar to artichokes), the peeled stem (as a vegetable) and the crushed seeds (sprinkle on salads).