1、 Blade difference

The basal leaves of artichoke are rosette shaped. The lower stems and leaves are all wide lanceolate or long oval, about 1m long and about 50cm wide. They have long petioles. The stems and leaves in the middle and above gradually become smaller and sessile. The leaves next to the inflorescence at the top are linear or long oval. All leaves are grassy, green above and gray white below

Silymarin is also a basal leaf with rosette shape. The lower stems and leaves are oblanceolate or oval, which is smaller than the former, about 50cm long and 30cm wide. It is also smaller in the middle and above, and the uppermost is lanceolate. All leaves are of the same color on both sides, green and white spots

2、 Fruit difference

Artichoke fruit is achene, long oval, with white crown hair, up to 3.6 cm, without fruit margin

The fruit of silymarin is also achene, which is long obovate or long oval, brown, with dark brown spots, with fruit margin at the top, full margin and no sawtooth