Marsh Sow-thistle

Sonchus palustris

The Marsh Sow-thistle is a tall plant with bright yellow flowers that bloom in the summer. It grows in wet areas and is loved by many insects, especially bees!

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Marsh Sow-thistle is a very tall plant with hollow, ribbed stems and deeply lobed, spiny-edged dark green leaves featuring distinctive ear-like bases. It produces clusters of bright yellow, dandelion-like flowers at its top, making it look like a giant, spikier dandelion.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderAsteralesFamilyAsteraceaeGenusSonchus

Marsh Sow-thistle

Interesting facts

Its fluffy seeds can float on the wind to find new marshy homes.

Its leaves have spiny edges, but young ones are surprisingly edible for humans!

This plant can grow taller than many adults, reaching up to 10 feet!

When you break a stem, milky white 'plant milk' oozes out!

Special abilities

Marsh Sow-thistle has deep, fibrous roots that anchor it firmly, helping it survive in boggy, unstable marshy soils.

This plant can grow incredibly tall, allowing it to reach for sunlight even when surrounded by other wetland plants.

Marsh Sow-thistle has a milky white sap that can deter hungry herbivores from taking a bite.

Measurements & details

Height: 50-300 cm
Spread: 30-70 cm
Flower Size: 2-3 cm
Bloom Season: Summer to early autumn
Edible: Yes
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

Honey bee

Apis mellifera

Gathers nectar and pollen

pollinates

Buff-tailed bumblebee

Bombus terrestris

Visits flowers for food

eaten by

European rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Browses on leaves and stems

eats

Green peach aphid

Myzus persicae

Feeds on plant sap

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Summer Blooming

Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.

Edible

Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Rapid Growing

Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.