Are Calendula and Milk Thistle in the same botanical family?

Yes — both belong to Asteraceae.

Can you substitute Calendula for Milk Thistle?

They share the Asteraceae family, so they can sometimes substitute in recipes — with notable differences in aroma.

Compare · per-herb profile

Calendula vs Milk Thistle

Calendula officinalis · Silybum marianum

Calendula

Calendula officinalis

T Traditional Use

Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Calendula
Primary use: medicinal

Calendula officinalis, Mary's gold, common marigold, the pot marigold, Scotch marigold, or ruddles, is a flowering plant in the daisy family, Asteraceae. It is probably native to southern Europe, but its long history of cultivation makes its precise origin unknown, and it is wide…

Milk Thistle

Silybum marianum

B Some Evidence

Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Silybum
Primary use: medicinal

Silybum marianum is a species of thistle. It has various common names including milk thistle, blessed milkthistle, Marian thistle, Mary thistle, Saint Mary's thistle, Mediterranean milk thistle, variegated thistle and Scotch thistle. This species is an annual or biennial plant of…

At a glance

· Both in Asteraceae, but different genera (Calendula vs Silybum).
· Both are primarily medicinal.
· Evidence tiers — Calendula: T; Milk Thistle: B.