Variety characteristics:

• W1436 Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.) is a bold annual or biennial species recognized for its large, glossy green leaves patterned with striking white marbling. Plants develop a substantial basal rosette before producing upright, ridged and branching flower stalks topped with rounded purple to reddish-purple flower heads.
The deeply lobed leaves and overlapping flower-head bracts carry rigid spines, giving the plant a dramatic architectural appearance but requiring careful handling. Under suitable conditions, plants may reach approximately 4–6 feet tall, although final height and flowering time vary with climate, planting season and soil conditions. It develops extra-large basal leaves that can reach 20 inches in length and 10 inches across, creating a dramatic architectural focal point in your garden.