Blessed Thistle (Cnicus benedictus) is a species of the genus Cnicus of the family Compositae or Asteraceae. The genus includes 100-120 species of mainly herbaceous plants, widely distributed mainly in Eurasia and Africa. Blessed Thistle is an annual herbaceous plant from 20 to 70 cm high, highly branched, sticky from glandular pubescence. The root system is pivotal. The stem is up straight, obscurely pentagonal, with rising branches. The flowers are yellowish, bisexual, collected in an inflorescence - a basket. The fruit is an achene, 8–10 mm long with a crest. It blooms in June - August.