How Do You Dry Purple Thistle

Set three or four wide-mouth canning jars in a dry place with good circulation. The attic, shed or garage are good drying spots. … Place the thistles in the canning jars right-side up as you would if arranging them. … Leave the blooms undisturbed for three weeks to allow them to air dry.

How do you dry a thistle?

Attach 6-inch-long lengths of string to the rubber bands, and tie the thistle bunches upside down in a warm and dark location. Leave the hanging thistle stems undisturbed for at least one week and up to three weeks. The thistles are sufficiently dry when the flowers are stiff and bristly, and the stems are brittle.

Can you eat purple thistle?

The leaves are still edible if you strip them of spines as are the bottom of the flower buds, though the bud bottoms aren’t much more than a nibble. All can be eaten raw, steamed or boiled. (Or roast whole by a fire and squeeze the cooked core out.)