Perennial sow thistle (Plants of the Middle Rio Grande Bosque)

Perennial sow thistle

Sonchus arvensis

Summary ⁴

Sonchus arvensis, also known as the field milk thistle, field sowthistle, perennial sow-thistle, corn sow thistle, dindle, gutweed, swine thistle, or tree sow thistle, is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family (Asteraceae). Native to Europe, it has become widespread in North America.

Botanical information ⁵

The genus, Sonchus, is an old Greek name that means “hollow”. The species, arvensis, means planted fields. The sow thistle can grow up to 1m high and has an alternate leaf arrangement. Leaves are 2.5 inches wide and 12 inches long and pinnately divided with 2 to 5 lobes and pointed tips. Leaves have heart-shaped, small rounded lobes, but are not united around the stem. All edges of the leaf have small spines. The upper leaves are shorter and less divided or not divided at all. The leaf surfaces are green and hairless. Leaves also have white juice inside. It has a deep, extensive root system that grows up to 10 feet. Flowering time is usually during mid-summer into Autumn. It has yellow dandelion-like flower heads up to 2 inches wide.

Ecological information ⁵

The sow thistle was introduced to North America from Europe. It grows from reseeding and from its root system which has long rhizomes. This plant will grow almost everywhere. It grows in many waste places, soils, moist to dry places, and needs sunlight. It likes cracks in driveways, roadsides, fields, meadows, and gravel banks. Field sow thistle grows everywhere so it is a good source of food for wildlife and other animals such as cows and buffaloes. They don’t need butterflies and bees for pollination because when its windy, the seed will fly all over and grow.

Ethnobotanical information ⁵

Field sow thistle has both edible and medicinal properties. The Cherokee used the plant as a sedative, making an infusion and drinking it to calm the nerves. Field sow thistles have been used to delay menstruation and to treat diarrhea. The latex in the sap was used in the treatment of warts. (Note: Ethnographic reports often lack important contextual information and relevant traditional ecological knowledge.) The leaves, flowers, and roots are edible but you have to eat them when they are young because the older they get the more bitter they become. The leaves are full of vitamin C and you can ground the cleaned and dried root to use like coffee.

Vietnamese Fairytale About the Field Sow Thistle ⁶

Vietnamese family names: Cuc, bo cong anh
Many years ago in a kingdom that was very powerful, there was a king with his two sons. When the first son turned 14, the king asked him, “What is the most important thing for a man to do?” The son answered, “As a boy, we should learn and practice. As a man, we should practice stay true to who we are.” After that, the son decided to explore the world as his father wanted. Year by year, he visited many countries and listened to their stories to find out how other kings ruled their nations. He never stopped learning and exploring until one day when old age prevented him from continuing. He told his family to bury him in a big field in his homeland because no matter how far he had gone, he wanted to come back home with his family. Then, on his tomb, a yellow flowering plant grew, which was field sow thistle. People said the petals looked similar to a lion, which represented the dead king. The seeds are covered in white fur, which spreads when the wind blows and represents how the king loved to travel around the world.

References ⁷

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonchus_arvensis
http://www.friendsofthewildflowergarden.org/pages/plants/sowthistle_field.html
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/perennial-sowthistle
https://eflora.neocities.org/Sonchus%20Sp.html
http://naeb.brit.org/uses/38496/

About the Author ⁸

Student author*: Kim (age 17) from Menaul School

*The entries in this field guide have been edited by Yerba Mansa Project staff to ensure that they contain quality, fact-checked content and standardized formatting. https://yerbamansaproject.org/

Sources and Credits

(c) Frank Mayfield, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/33397993@N05/5320745981
(c) cassi saari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by cassi saari
no rights reserved, uploaded by Paul Braun
Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonchus_arvensis
Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) kimthiennguyen, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
Adapted by Hannah from a work by (c) kimthiennguyen, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
Adapted by Hannah from a work by (c) smiller33, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) smiller33, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

iNat Map

Seed	white fur
Color	yellow
Uses	edible, medicinal
Type	herb

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