View photos of the edible plant Cirsium vulgare (Bull thistle), profiled in the Wild Edible Series: Colorado, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and others.

A passage from Wild Edible plants of Colorado:

The taproot of first or early second year plants (leaves still a basal rosette) will be found crisp and crunchy with an almost nutty flavor (species variable).

A passage from Wild Edible Plants of New Mexico:

Seventeen species of thistle are found throughout New Mexico, about half of which are widespread. Common to most elevations, one unifying location characteristic for all species is: disturbed soils.