Summary ³

Sonchus arvensis, 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. S. arvensis often occurs in annual crops in the northern parts of Europe and may cause substantial yield losses.

Description ⁴

Family:
Asteraceae (Aster)

Height:
2 to 5 feet

Leaves:
Alternate, deeply lobed with prickly edges

Flower:
Bright yellow and dandelion-like, up to 2 inches wide, fuzzy when mature

Bloom time:
June-October

Nicknames:
Field Sowthistle

Habitat:
Disturbed areas, roadsides

Can I plant this in my garden?
No, perennial sowthistle is a non-native plant that is considered weedy. Because its seeds are spread by wind, hand weeding or cutting and bagging seedheads before they mature are the best management options for preventing spread.

References:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/perennial-sowthistle

Range ⁴

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Kathy Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Kathy Ward
2. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, all rights reserved, uploaded by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District
3. Adapted by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonchus_arvensis
4. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
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