Milk thistle Samaryanka (Silybum marianum) – an annual plant of the Asteraceae family, reaching a height from 60 to 150 cm. Leaves have an obovate-lanceolate shape with white spots and pinnately lobed edges, and inflorescences are baskets with a diameter of 3–6 cm, colored in purple-lilac or pink; the aroma resembles honey-chubushnikovaya.
The 'Samaryanka' variety is widely used as a medicinal plant: its seeds contain silymarin, which strengthens liver cell membranes, protects against toxins, lowers blood sugar levels and promotes the elimination of harmful substances. In pharmaceuticals, extracts are used to treat liver diseases, viral hepatitis C and burns. In addition, milk thistle is valued as a honey plant – the honey harvest is 50–70 kg/ha.
In addition to medicinal properties, 'Samaryanka' serves as a fodder and food product: the cake from seeds contains up to 24% protein and 6.6% fat, and oil is used in bakery products and beverages. The plant is also popular in decorative gardening – its bright inflorescences make living fences, mixborders and flower beds attractive. To grow it requires loose nutritious soil, moderate watering and fertilization with complex fertilizers; planted from the end of April to mid-May, and a distance between plants no less than 50 cm.
Thus, SAMARYANKA combines medicinal, fodder, food and decorative qualities, making it a valuable resource for both agriculture and the pharmaceutical industry.
